With just a little more than two weeks between today and the General Election, there is little more candidates can do to change their personal description from “candidate” to “winner.”
The heavy paper mailings have all been designed, printed and mailed. The last critical neighborhoods have all been walked, and it is just down to making phone calls.
The unions and businesses have passed out their campaign money and endorsements, campaign promises have been made, and perhaps some tall tales have been spread.
I’m reminded of reporting on the last-minute speeches at the 2010 Democratic Party rally at the historic Mooheau Bandstand in Hilo on the eve of a crucial primary election. Mufi Hannemann was running for governor against Neil Abercrombie, who had resigned his congressional seat to clear the decks for the election. The former Honolulu mayor had closed out his campaign a few days earlier with a daylong campaign trolley ride and shaking hands at 10 p.m. at the Kaheka Street Don Quijote store. That race would go to Abercrombie, but it did not end Hannemann’s quest for the governorship; he would run and lose one more time.
Now decades later, it is still the state Elections Office that is reminding voters they have time to get prepared for the Nov. 5 vote.
“If you aren’t registered to vote, you’ve still got time, the deadline is Oct. 28. You can do this online or pick up an application from any post office or library,” according to a state release.
Democratic Congresswoman Jill Tokuda is prepping for the campaign and working to get out the vote.
“We need to keep that momentum going through Election Day. Every vote cast between now and November ensures that we can continue fighting for the issues that matter,” she said.
GOP chairwoman Tamara McKay had a cautious take on voting.
“We encourage everyone to vote in-person at a voting service center near you before November 5th to ensure your vote is counted. If you must mail in your ballot or place it in a ballot drop box, we encourage you to do it at a U.S. Post Office or ballot drop box at your county election office,” she said in a news release.
Even weeks away from Election Day, I can confidently tell you that Hawaii will overwhelmingly vote for Vice President Kamala Harris in the presidential election. I’m confident because that is the prediction of 10 different news organizations, ranging from NBC News to The Economist and CNN, all saying that Hawaii will give its four electoral votes to the Democrats.
In the last presidential race in 2016, Hillary Clinton won Hawaii with 62.2% of the vote. Donald Trump received 30%. In presidential elections between 1960 and 2016, Hawaii voted Democratic 86.67% of the time and Republican 13.33% of the time. Both Barack Obama and Clinton won all 51 state House districts. Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan are the only GOP presidential candidates to win in Hawaii.
If you’ve gotten your mail-in ballot already, all you have to do is read it carefully, fill it out, sign it and mail it back. Outstandingly easy to do — and still so important.
Richard Borreca writes on politics on Sundays. Reach him at 808onpolitics@gmail.com.
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