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We’re now just nine hours away from the polls opening across the state with a record 705,000 people in Hawaii registered to vote.
But for one Maui voter, this will be the first election since 1970 that she won’t be voting in, but not by choice.
Joelle LaMer is devastated she won’t be able to vote.
She’s in New Jersey right now visiting her mom. Unfortunately, her absentee ballot got delayed because of Superstorm Sandy.
These are photos Joelle took of the area where her mom lives in Clifton, New Jersey.
"A lot of people have seven feet of water in their basements here, it’s crazy I waited in line today for gas," said Joelle LaMer.
Joelle arrived at her mom’s home a week and a half ago to be with her through the storm. She filed for an absentee ballot on Thursday, October 25th before leaving Maui.
"Normally if I send something to my mom it takes like three days," Joelle LaMer.
She says the Maui County Clerk’s office told her they mailed out her absentee ballot on the 26th, but…
"…I just got my ballot today and I talked to the County Clerk’s office and now I won’t be able to vote in time," Joelle LaMer.
The US Postal Service says: "Unfortunately, some areas affected by Sandy, specifically in the Northeast, are experiencing some service disruptions. We have emergency operation plans in place to expedite recovery efforts, including making our best effort to ensure the timely delivery of mailed ballots."
"I’m not alone in this situation. There are a lot of people that because of this storm have not been able to vote or will not be able to vote," said Joelle LaMer.
Including her 88 year old mother, Lorraine Eager. Joelle says her mom didn’t receive her absentee ballot either.
"Actually the sample ballot came today, but not the absentee ballot. And I called the County office today, I called over there and they said someone was supposed to come today and deliver it personally so she could fill it out. And that way I could drive it over to a polling place and drop it off. But no one ever showed up today," said Joelle LaMer.
Joelle says her mom is disabled, and taking her to the polls is out the question.
"I can’t even get her into the car," said Joelle LaMer.
She says neither she nor her mom have missed a single election, until now.
Election officials in New Jersey and New York are doing what they can to make voting as manageable as possible — including dropping off ballots at emergency shelters.
And New York’s Governor announced today that New Yorkers displaced by Sandy will be able to vote at any polling place by signing an affidavit.
See the original article at: KHON2 Local News
