An Oahu literacy group is conducting a get-out-the-vote campaign in hopes that Hawaii can once again win a national contest and get thousands of free books for needy children.

First Book Oahu is directing people to the First Book-Cheerios Trivia Challenge at http://booksforkids.firstbook.org/jonscieszka/index.php. For each correct answer, the participant gets one "vote" for the state of his or her choice. The five states with the most votes will get 20,000 books to distribute in their state.

The contest runs through Aug. 31.

Local residents and supporters rallied in 2009 to make Hawaii the national winner of 50,000 new books for needy children.

Last year, First Book Oahu credited the extensive use of Facebook and Twitter, where it publicized a contest called "What Book Got You Hooked?" The voting also went viral through e-mail, with people urging friends and co-workers to vote once a day.

This year, First Book and Cheerios have teamed up with best-selling children's author Jon Scieszka to distribute 100,000 new books to kids in need across the country.

Scieszka is also the founder of Guys Read, a nonprofit organization dedicated to motivating boys to read by connecting them with materials they will want to read, in ways they like to read, according to the First Book website.

The books will be distributed through community-based programs serving children in need. To be eligible, at least 80 percent of the children the programs serve must be from low-income families, and the programs must sign up with First Book at its online registration page, http://booksforkids.firstbook.org/register.