Molokaʻi and Lānaʻi ballots reach Maui by 9 p.m.

Voters on Molokaʻi and Lānaʻi face a logistical hurdle that mainland counties do not: their ballots must cross open ocean to be counted. After polls close at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 3, the votes from these outer islands undergo a specific journey to reach the central counting facility in Wailuku. Deputy County Clerk Richelle Thomson, who oversees elections in Maui County, manages the process for all three islands in the county.

Once the polls close, election staff collect ballots from official drop boxes. They seal the containers and complete the required paperwork. The sealed ballots are then transported to the local airports. From there, they are loaded onto charter planes operated by Kamaka Air. Thomson noted that the airline uses dedicated flights for the outer islands on election night, with one plane serving Lānaʻi and another serving Molokaʻi. The flights are secured through a county bidding process.

George Kaʻanana, Kamaka Air's Executive Vice President of Sales and Cargo Operations, said the airline views the transport as a civil duty. He explained that pilots follow their standard freight procedures. They assist voter officials in loading the items, sign off on the cargo, and conduct a double check upon arrival in Maui. Kaʻanana stated that for the pilots, the election night flights are comparable to their daily freight operations.

Upon landing at Kahului Airport, election officials meet the flights to take possession of the ballots. The documents are then moved to the County building in Wailuku. Thomson estimated that this process is typically completed by 9 p.m. on election night. At the county level, staff scan the ballots and verify signatures. They do not open the ballots, a step reserved for the state.

The ballots then move to the state counting center located in the Council Chambers. There, separate stations handle the process. Official observers watch as staff open the ballots, remove them from secrecy sleeves, and scan them for tallying. Thomson said security is a major concern, referring to the "chain of custody" protocols used for the outer islands. These additional checks account for the air transport requirement.

In the past, Maui County results often arrived late due to these logistics. However, Thomson said the county has processed its ballots first in the last two election cycles. She hopes to maintain that record this year, noting that backup plans are in place for any issues. Across the county, nearly 98,000 ballots were issued. By Friday, about 25,000 had been cast, which Thomson described as average for this point in the cycle. Typical voter turnout in Maui County is slightly over half of eligible voters.

Voter Service Centers in Lahaina, Molokaʻi, and Lānaʻi open on Saturday, Monday, and Tuesday. Thomson advised voters to use official drop boxes rather than mailing their ballots to ensure they are processed when the General Election closes on Tuesday, Nov. 3.