Column: Too few voter service centers guarantees voter suppression

This past Sunday, the Star-Advertiser carried an insert detailing the location of the Voter Service Centers (VSC) for those who want to vote in-person, exercise their right of same-day voter registration, drop off their ballots, or seek help with voting. I suspect I was not the only one who missed seeing it amid the many sections of the paper.

In 2016, more than 50% voted by absentee ballot. That still leaves nearly half of all voters accustomed to voting in person. Yet, no signs are planned for the old polling places, except possibly on the Big Island. There are no plans for staffing to direct those who might turn up from habit on Oahu where most voters are located. Concerned volunteers are trying to organize themselves to be at the old polling places, just in case.

Just eight Voter Service Centers are planned: two for Oahu, two for Hawaii island, and one each for Maui, Molokai, Lanai and Kauai. Why are we not setting up more VSCs? Isn’t that the least we can do in this inaugural year of vote-by-mail?

Every day we listen with anxiety to the latest on what COVID-19 has in store for us. Every day we learn something alarming about the failures of government at the highest level. More than ever it is clear that it is up to each of us to defend our democracy. That is what makes this year’s elections so critically important. Every vote counts, more than it ever has. Lawmakers must quit dragging their feet and spend the money provided through the CARES Act for election security. We cannot afford to once again leave federal money on the table because we could not get our act together to spend it in the stipulated time.

The state Office of Elections says it has spent $1.9 million of the approximately $3.3 million provided for election security. Every last cent of that funding should be released to the counties without further delay to ensure that there are enough Voter Service Centers, enough ballot drop boxes, enough PPE (personal protective equipment) for election workers and voters who arrive in person, enough training and enough public announcements— in short, enough of everything needed to avert the kind of election-day debacle that we saw in states like Maryland, Wisconsin and Georgia.

Those charged with managing the elections have expressed confidence that they have things under control. Really? Everyone, almost without exception, reacts with surprise when I ask them if they know that this year, Hawaii votes by mail universally. Some say that they always vote absentee. Some insist they will be voting where they always have. All are taken aback when told the “usual polling places” will not be there for them. Anecdotal? Yes. But just try asking those around you.

We have every reason to worry about the Aug. 8 primary election, for which voting starts this month on July 21. And we should worry even more about the general election on Nov. 3. How many have checked to make sure their voter registration is in order at olvr.hawaii.gov? Will our low voter turnout go even lower?

In this 100th year of women’s suffrage let’s make voting more accessible to women who are already juggling work and caregiving in a pandemic. The same goes for the disabled; those living paycheck to paycheck — or without a paycheck. These often marginalized voices need to be heard in our current abnormal reality. If our elected leaders are sincere about creating a “new normal,” they would send the counties the money that has been provided to improve access to voting. To not do so is to help suppress the vote. There is no other way to read it.

Dawn Morais Webster, who advocates with nonprofits on societal issues, is an adjunct faculty member at the University of Hawaii-Manoa.