Turnout is High in Hawaii

[ellisonz]

I got off work and went to drop off my little brother at our caucus site (I voted absentee in CA) lines at the elementary school were wrapped around several (5-6) of the buildings with the cafeteria filled. He promptly called my father on his cellphone, got the keys to my father's van and drove home, saying the lines were to long and that "democracy takes too long."

Local TV news reports a similar situation around Oahu. Local TV says not to expect any results for another hour and a half to two hours (830-9 Hawaii time, 2 hours behind PST).

I'll have a fuller report from my father later tonight.

Mahalo!

:hi:

[caligirl]

1. Drive him back there. Can you?

[ellisonz]

3. I think he would resist.

My bro is a lazy bastard. He'd rather go to KFC. :rofl:

[saltpoint]

19. I agree with caligirl. Drive him back and make him vote. Tell him if

he doesn't go, I'll kick his ass!

[ellisonz]

22. Ha.

[scheming daemons]

2. It's a caucus.... so it doesn't count, according to the Hillary campaign...

....

[Arugula Latte]

4. Hawai'i no ka oi!

:hi:

[K Gardner]

5. Thanks for the update, Ellisonz !

[Cha]

6. Edge of seat here in

New York! Mahalo yourself :hi:

[ellisonz]

7. Sit back. Grab a cup of cocoa. It won't be remotely close.

[Cha]

8. Hope not but I'll be on pins and

needles until..well, until something definitive happens:)

[ellisonz]

9. Kick.

[Eric J in MN]

10. I hope there is better planning for the general.

It should take less than an hour to vote.

[Quetzal]

11. No way are the polls closing anytime soon

My caucus site in Palolo, 1st Congressional district, ran out of ballots. There were more than 1200 people there.

And when I left, I thought my site was bad - Manoa was even WORSE. Read this article.

http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080219/BREAKING01/80219082

A lot of places in Hawaii ran out of ballots. Some people ended up voting on blank sheets of paper.

I say no way does the voting finish at 7:30 PM HST. Maybe around 9:00 PM.

I also think it will be closer than what some people are thinking.

[ellisonz]

13. I figured that would happen.

My pops is at Wilson Elementary over in Kahala. They were saying the Advertiser that they had 18,000 ballots. It probably isn't enough. What's silly is that this isn't even an Iowa style caucus. They should have had a 2-3 hour window for voting this election.

Why do you think it will be closer?

[Quetzal]

14. I still think Obama will win

but not by the overwhelming margin that some people believe. I just have heard a lot of talk about people voting for Clinton coming mainly from seniors, and in Hawaii, there are a lot of seniors.

The people in Hawaii both like Obama and Clinton. I just think a sizable plurality will support Clinton.

[TheDonkey]

15. what time is 9PM HST for PST?

How many hours back is Hawaii from the pacific coast? 5?

[ellisonz]

18. 2 this time of year, others 3. It takes 5 hours to fly here from CA.

[TheDonkey]

21. Thank you!

wondered why I had "5" in my mind.

[orleans]

16. people voted on blank sheets of paper? are you kidding?

is this in the news? anyone you know? did you?

(questions questions questions)

[Quetzal]

17. I am not joking

at my caucus site, the Dem precinct chair was handing out individual sheets of paper that were blank because they ran out of ballot. I don't think it is in the news - yet. The speaker of the state house, Calvin Say, was speaking at our caucus site and he looked pissed that they ran out of ballots. There were just too many people there - the caucus workers expected more, but not even close to the numbers they were getting tonight. Tonight absolutely blew away their expectations.

[ellisonz]

20. It happened in CA too.

I don't think they anticipated this going beyond Feb. 5.

[TheDonkey]

12. I wish I lived in Hawaii.... :(

[cooolandrew]

23. ALOHA Hawaii.=)

[ellisonz]

24. ALOHA coolandrew.=)