Q&A: Primary election day in Hawaii is here. Here’s everything you need to know

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - The primary election in Hawaii is Saturday and voting is already in full swing.

As of Friday, election officials had received around 226,000 ballots, including mail-in and in-person votes. That’s 50,000 votes fewer than two years ago. But that was a year with a contested governor, lieutenant governor and congressional races.

In 2020, there were roughly 275,000 votes cast overall.

Registered voters in the state should have received their ballot in the mail by mid-July. You can still register to vote any time up to the election online or at a voter service center.

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Here’s everything you need to know ahead of the primary election:

Where do I drop off my ballot?

The city will have 16 drop boxes across the island. For a list of ballot drop boxes with hours of operations, click here.

Make sure to sign your ballot or else it will not be accepted.

Also, you do not need a stamp as it is pre-addressed, and postage is paid.

Can I track my ballot?

After you’ve submitted your ballot, you can track its status up to the moment it’s accepted through BallotTrax.

All you need to do is enter your first name, last name, year and/or date of birth and zip code.

What if I want to vote in person?

If you’d prefer to vote in person, the city will have two in-person voter service centers at Honolulu Hale and Kapolei Hale. There will also be two pop-up voter service centers at Kaneohe and Wahiawa district parks.

Voter service centers are open now for same-day voter registration, accessible voting and in-person voting.

The centers will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday.

What if I didn’t receive my ballot?

If you didn’t receive your ballot, contact your County Elections Division and they will issue you a replacement ballot.

How long do I have to vote?

Ballots must be received by the County Elections Division by 7 p.m. on Aug. 10. But we don’t recommend waiting until the last minute.

Anything else I should know?

The Justice Department will be protecting your vote this weekend. The agency will be monitoring the elections in Honolulu and Maui, making sure everything is in compliance with federal voting rights in the state.