The Pono Report

Chair's Corner

Subject: Get Involved, Vote, and Make a Difference!

Aloha Members of the Hawaii Republican Party,

As the State Chair of the Hawaii Republican Party, I am reaching out to emphasize the importance of voting, getting involved, and making a difference in our community. The upcoming Primary Election is a crucial opportunity for us to shape the future of our state by choosing the candidates who best represent our values and priorities. I urge each and every one of you to exercise your right to vote in person and make your voice heard.

Voting is not just a right, but a responsibility that we all share as citizens. By casting your vote, you have the power to influence the direction of our government and make a positive impact on the issues that matter most to you. I encourage you to do your due diligence by researching the candidates running for office so that you can make an informed decision at the polls. If you have any concerns about the voting system or the electoral process, I urge you to voice your opinions to the Office of Elections. Transparency and accountability are essential to maintaining the integrity of our Republic, and your feedback is crucial in ensuring that our elections are fair and secure. In the spirit of promoting civic engagement,

We are scheduling town halls to provide a platform for open discussion and to answer any questions you may have in person. Your participation and input are invaluable in shaping our party and our community for the better. I understand that some of you may feel hesitant to get involved in the party until you see changes being made. However, I want to emphasize that change can only happen when people like you step up to fill vacant positions or replace those you are dissatisfied with.

Let's not be mere spectators on the sidelines; let's be active participants in the experiment of our Republic. Together, we can make a difference. Let's work towards a brighter future for Hawaii by being informed, engaged, and proactive in shaping our political landscape. Remember, change begins with each and every one of us. Thank you for your commitment to our party and our state. Let's make our voices heard, our votes count, and our actions matter.

Mahalo,
Tamara McKay
State Chair
Hawaii Republican Party

Ok, so your mail-in ballots have arrived, now what? Below are some ideas for you to consider:

1. Do your research on the candidates. Don't rely on anyone else to make this important decision for you. Go to the sources (i.e. the candidates themselves) to find out what they stand for. Many of the candidates have websites with contact information. Another option are the following: Civil Beat has a section on candidates (here), Hawaii Family Forum (here) and the Election's office has an interactive voter guide for you to try (here). Use your own discernment. Ask yourself if those in office now have been serving you.

2. Do your best to vote in-person on Election Day. Why? you may ask. Because YOUR help is needed. By voting in person, you are sending a message. We all know that life gets in the way and it may seem convenient to vote by mail. The problem with this approach is that convenience doesn't always result in best outcome. Voting used to be conveniently held in our neighborhoods, on one day, in person, with paper ballots and hand-counted in the same location that the ballots were cast. People counted in front of spectators and "official observers" for transparency. No machinery or software necessary.

In recent years the integrity of our elections has come into question. What is different is the mail-in voting and the multi-week voting at voter “service” centers, which are, inconveniently, too few and far between. We now have a centralized counting center - not open to public viewing - and a third-party company, Hart Inner Civic, that is in charge of controls. Hart uses propriety software and hardware, that even the election workers are not privy.

This non-transparent process has decreased confidence in our elections. No amount of mail-in convenience is worth not knowing the answer to the following questions: Are our elections accurate? How do we ensure the chain of custody with mail-in voting without the "official observers" present during many parts of the process, and no chain of custody records are presented to the public? How do we know our ballots are being counted? How do we know the early ballot information is kept secure? How can we know that the numbers of ballots printed, sent out and returned are all accounted for? How do we know that the intended recipient of the mail-in ballot receives and returns that ballot? How are the signatures on the returned ballots verified?

The process is no longer transparent and nobody has been held accountable for violations of election laws. No investigations by the Election Commission has taken place - EVER!

If you are unable to vote in-person on Election Day, vote in-person or drop you mail-in ballot in a drop box as close as possible to Election Day. No matter what, you must vote!!! Do not sit this one out.The goal is to return to common sense elections.

3. Try your best to keep your ballot sealed. See the civil beat ballot sample (here) to do your research. Bring your unopened ballot to the voting center when you vote as proof you have not voted before arriving. (this applies when voting in-person. if you have already opened your ballot, bring it with you to the voting center anyway).

4. Use a blue pen to vote (the machines use black to print).

5. Be prepared to wait in long lines - bring an umbrella, water, a snack, your blue pen. Go with friends and neighbors to make the waiting fun. This inconvenience of the current process - the too few voting "Service" centers is inconvenient to you the voters, but not to the Election Office. Let that sink in. Remember, these are OUR elections. By voting in-person, you are helping reclaim our election process.

Some useful Election-related links below:
Register to vote (here)
Check your voter registration status (here)
See the candidates page (here)
See Star Advertiser Q & A with Candidates: (here)

Chair's Corner

Adriel Lam's Key events:

Maui | Fridays - 5 p.m.

First Friday is August 2nd

Hilo | Sundays - 2-4 p.m.

Hilo | Fridays - 4-6 p.m.

Kona | Mondays - 3pm

Kapolei | Wednesdays - 3:30 - 5 p.m.

Oahu | Thursdays - 4 p.m.

SAVE THE DATES!

SAVE THE DATES!

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