Will Hawaii Republican voters fall in line with a slate of other states in endorsing Donald Trump for the nation’s next commander in chief?
Will Hawaii Republican voters fall in line with a slate of other states in endorsing Donald Trump for the nation’s next commander in chief?
Early next week, we’ll find out how much sway “The Donald” has in the Aloha State.
Hawaii County Republicans will help decide who should be on the ticket this fall when they cast their ballots in the 2016 Hawaii GOP Presidential Caucus at 10 polling places around the island on Tuesday evening. It’ll be yet another chapter in a story of a billionaire who was largely viewed as an outsider with bombastic speech, who peppered the nation with condescending remarks about women and tossed what some say are inflammatory racial comments, but who has also — to the shock of many — managed to touch a deep populist chord.
“We’re preparing to double the numbers we had in 2012,” said Gunner Mensch, Hawaii County chairman of the Hawaii Republican Party.
Mensch doesn’t know if the so-called “Trump factor” is driving turnout, or whether the candidate will waltz through Hawaii the way he did with seven Super Tuesday states. Mensch just knows the party has been getting lots of calls of interest, and voters seem to be energized the way they are on the mainland.
Volunteers are still needed at polling places, Mensch said. A website where more information can be gained on volunteering is listed at the end of this article.
“We’ll need help checking people in. Prep work starts at 5 p.m., and balloting at 6,” Mensch said. “If you’re still in line at 8 p.m., you can vote, and we should be all done by 9.”
In 2012, 1,417 Hawaii County Republicans cast ballots during the caucus, part of more than 10,000 ballots cast statewide.
Votes cast at this caucus will determine the allocation of Hawaii’s 19 delegates to the Republican National Convention. Trump, as of Saturday, had gained 335 delegates, followed by Sens. Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio, with 248 and 110 delegates, respectively. Ohio Gov. John Kasich, with 25 delegates, will be the fourth active candidate on the ballot. Jeb Bush and Ben Carson are also listed on the ballot, although they have both dropped out of the race.
The candidate must garner 1,237 delegates to win the nomination.
The democratic equivalent of the caucus, the Presidential Preference Poll, will be March 26, when the state’s Democratic Party will decide how to split up its 34 delegates to the Democratic National Convention.
Information: http://gophawaii.com/?page_id=822
Email Bret Yager at byager@westhawaiitoday.com.
POLLING PLACES
Polling places will be open from 6-8 p.m. and will be different from the normal precinct locations.
Any registered Hawaii voter who signs a Republican Party card may vote in the caucuses.
Unregistered Hawaii citizens with ID wishing to participate may register to vote and join the party on the day of and at the place of the caucus election.
Voting locations on Hawaii Island are:
• State House District 1 Precincts 1-3, North Hawaii Educational & Research Center, 45-539 Plumeria St., Honokaa
• State House District 1 Precincts 4-9, State House District 2, Hilo High School, 556 Waianuenue Ave., Hilo
• State House District 3 Precincts 1-3, Waiakeawaena Elementary School, 2420 Kilauea Ave., Hilo
• State House District 3 Precincts 4-6, Mountain View Elementary School, 18-1235 Volcano Road, Mountain View
• State House District 3 Precinct 7, State House District 5 Precincts 1-2, Naalehu School, 95-5545 Mamalahoa Highway, Naalehu
• State House District 4, Sacred Hearts Church, 15-3003 Pahoa Village Road, Pahoa
• State House District 5 Precincts 3-7, Yano Hall, 82-6156 Mamalahoa Highway, Captain Cook
• State House District 5, Precinct 8, State House District 6, State House District 7 Precinct 1, Kealakehe High School, 74-5000 Puohulihuli St., Kailua-Kona
• State House District 7 Precinct 2, Waikoloa Elementary School, 68-1730 Hooko St., Waikoloa
• State House District 7 Precincts 3-5, Thelma Parker Library, 67-1209 Mamalahoa Highway, Kamuela
For more information, visit gophawaii.com.