Question: My name is on the state’s permanent absentee voting list. Do I need to do anything to receive the primary and general election ballots?

Answer: No.

According to the state Office of Elections, if you already have been accepted for permanent absentee voting, you no longer have to apply for future elections.

A ballot automatically will be mailed to you for each election you are eligible to vote in.

Those who would like to be on the permanent absentee voting list should submit an application to the appropriate county clerk’s office no later than seven days before the election.

Applications will be accepted until Saturday, Aug. 4 for the Aug. 11 primary election and Tuesday, Oct. 30 for the Nov. 6 general election.

To receive a permanent absentee ballot, you must be a registered voter.

Applications for permanent absentee voting can be picked up at the county clerks’ offices, Hawaii state libraries, satellite city halls and U.S. post offices or can be downloaded on the Office of Elections’ website, hawaii.gov/elections.

Meanwhile, any registered voter may vote absentee, by mail or by walking into an absentee walk-in polling place before election day.

To vote absentee by mail — not necessarily "permanently" — you have to submit an application no earlier than 60 days and no later than seven days prior to the election to the appropriate county clerk’s office (in Honolulu, 530 S. King St., Room 100, Honolulu, HI 96813-3099; phone 768-3800).

Application forms are available at the same sites as for permanent absentee voting forms.

Otherwise, registered voters may vote before election day: July 30 to Aug. 9 for the primary and Oct. 23 to Nov. 3 for the general election.

You are advised to contact the county clerk about absentee polling locations as the election days approach.

Question: I read about the city replacing parking meters to allow credit card payments. Will this affect people who are allowed to park for free if they have a handicap placard?

Answer: No.

The city will replace 373 meters with "SmartMeters" in the downtown, Chinatown and Civic Center area as part of a six-month pilot project.

"There is no change for those with disabled-parking placards," said city spokes woman Louise Kim McCoy.

State law allows those with valid disabled parking placards or license plates to park for free in metered stalls for 2½ hours or the duration of the meter.

The SmartMeters will allow payment with Visa or MasterCard credit/debit cards or coins, or a combination of cards and coins. It will also allow extending the parking time by calling a number and providing payment information.

Meter rates and time limits will not change.

The initial 110 meters will be installed next week on Punchbowl Street, between Beretania and South King streets; on South King between Punchbowl and Ala pai streets; in the parking garage of the Honolulu Police Department headquarters, 801 S. Beretania St.; and in the parking garage of the Fasi Municipal Building.

AUWE

To the driver of a small electrical company truck. While driving Diamond Head on Beretania Street, wanting to turn left onto Aala Street, on Tuesday, April 24, I was forced to stop at the crosswalk because of oncoming cars and the light turning yellow. The truck came up behind me, braking suddenly and swerving to the lane next to me.

Thank goodness there was no other car there. This jerk was cussing, and when I turned to look at him, he made a gesture with his finger to his eye, implying "dumb Asian." Go figure. He almost hit me and he’s mad? Brah, were you going too fast, too close, on your cellphone or not paying attention? What makes it worse, he was in a company vehicle.

— No Name