HILO — A would-be voter in Hawaiian Ocean View Estates said she and four others were denied ballots because they weren’t listed in the system.
Ray Henderson said she and the others had registered online. She said she registered before the Oct. 10 deadline.
“I tried to vote; I wanted to vote,” Henderson said Tuesday.
Henderson said she and the others were not given provisional ballots, as required under the Help America Vote Act of 2002.
The federal law establishes the right for a voter to cast a provisional ballot if the voter’s name does not appear on the official list of registered voters or an election official asserts that the voter is not eligible to vote.
A voter is permitted to cast a provisional ballot upon completing a written affirmation stating that the individual is a registered voter in the jurisdiction in which the individual desires to vote and is eligible to vote in that election.
The Clerk’s Office will determine if a provisional ballot is to be counted in accordance with state law, under Hawaii statutes. The voter will be able to verify if the ballot did or did not count, and the reason why it was not counted, by calling a toll-free number provided or through the Office of Elections website.
None of that happened for Henderson, a couple who had changed their address and two veterans, Henderson said. She said they didn’t know to ask for a provisional ballot, and the ballots weren’t offered to them after they protested not being given ballots.
State Elections Office spokeswoman Nedielyn Bueno said it’s typical to provide provisional ballots, especially if voters have a copy of the confirmation notice they get once voting online. Henderson said she remembers receiving one, but she didn’t take it to the polls with her. Bueno said the Elections Office typically investigates and then the provisional ballot is counted if the voter’s registration is verified.
Hawaii County election officials couldn’t be reached for comment late Tuesday.
As for Henderson?
“I’m disappointed, but I’m over it,” she said.