Aloha Reader,

This week we have one focus: getting out the vote for the August 8 Primary Election. Below you'll find a full slate of tangible ways to help—from ballot logistics to social media shares to volunteer shifts.

What's inside

• ✅ Four things to do today
• 📅 Deadlines and secure drop-off
• 📊 Small margins, big stakes
• 📣 Activate your bubble of influence
• 🗳️ Jarrett v. Ed
• 🗳️ Della v. Derek
• 🕊️ "Vote! Our lives depend on it!"
• 👀 On our radar

Four things to do today

1. Write down the names of everyone you know whom you can reach out to by phone, text, postcard, email, social gathering, or any other means—to encourage them to vote and return their ballot.
2. Get to know our two endorsed candidates, Jarrett Keohokalole for Congressional District 1 (CD1) and Della Au Belatti for Lieutenant Governor (LG). (More below.)
3. For state legislative races, check the Civil Beat Voter Guide.
4. Read the state's own Voter Guide, which includes a short submission from every candidate, including those in county races.

Deadlines and secure drop-off

The Hawai'i State Office of Elections must receive your ballot by 7:00 pm on Saturday, August 8, 2026. The best option is to put your ballot in a secure drop box before August 8. Find your nearest one here. If that doesn't work for you, please put your ballot in the US mail by Monday, August 3, 2026.

(If you did not get a ballot because you are not registered, go to a voter service center to register and receive one.)

Small margins, big stakes

Here's something worth saying out loud: Hawai'i hasn't elected a Republican to statewide office in decades. That means the Hawaiʻi Democratic Primary isn't a warmup—it's the main event. The general election in November is largely a formality here. This is where we decide who represents us, and it's the only real opening for fresh ideas and younger voices to break through entrenched incumbencies.

Turnout tells the story. In 2024, Civil Beat reported that Hawai'i saw its worst primary turnout since statehood—barely a fifth of registered voters returned a ballot. That's not apathy we can afford. With these low turnout levels, every single vote matters.

Activate your bubble of influence

Your bubble of influence is more than just contacts on social media—it's friends, family, coworkers, and anyone you interact with on a regular basis. Talk to them about who you're voting for and why. If you're online, record a short video, post it, and tag the candidate and @Hawaii Indivisible so we can share it.

Jarrett v. Ed

Indivisible Hawaii Statewide Network (IHSN) interviewed Congressional candidates and decided to endorse Jarret Keohokalole for Hawaii’s Congressional District 1. Based on our work, National Indivisible has endorsed Jarrett as well—a big deal. National endorsements are rare and hard-won, and this one strengthens Jarrett's visibility and fundraising nationally while opening the door for IHSN to team up with National on social media.

The importance of this race is also echoing around the US, especially with Jarrett's leadership to ban dark money. Today's Star Advertiser reports on the national attention that Jarrett is drawing, including the Indivisible endorsement, New York Times and Washington Post coverage.

This race is close. Prediction market Kalshi has flipped odds on the likely winner seven times in the last two weeks. Your vote—and your family's and friends'—may well make the difference in this election.

Our social media team has been on fire lately, with some genuinely fun content in the mix. Spend a few minutes scrolling our Instagram and Facebook, and like, comment, and share what you find. Here's our favorite so far: the "Replace Ed Case" billboards ad, spotted playing on airplane seatback screens.

👉 Find out how to help at ​jarrettforcongress.com​

👉 Find a volunteer shift near you​

Della v. Derek

Della Au Belatti seems to be doing everything, everywhere, all at once. She and her Lieutenant Governor opponent, Kauai Mayor Derek Kawakami, had a great conversation on their one joint appearance so far, the Hawaii News Now forum. It’s worth a watch if you want to see both candidates side by side. Important to us, Della has agreed not to take Super Political Action Committees (Super PACs) money. Kawakami’s campaign seems to rely primarily on Super PAC-funded ads, which begs the question of who he’ll be working for.

👉 Find out how to help at DellaBelatti.com​

👉 For sign waving, phonebanking, and canvassing, check out all of her volunteer opportunities here.​

"Vote! Our lives depend on it!"

That's the apt title of the upcoming Hawai'i J20+ Solidarity Forum in Honolulu. As Trump and his allies work to sow doubt about our election system and chip away at voting rights, this forum is about standing up to those threats together. It features outgoing State Senator Karl Rhoads and Judith Wong, President of the Hawai'i League of Women Voters. The event will be moderated by Nandita Sharma. If you can’t attend in person, you don’t have to miss out; you can stream the meeting using this link.

Mark your calendar: Friday, July 24, 2026, from 6:00–8:00 pm - Harris United Methodist Church, 20 S Vineyard Blvd, Honolulu - Register or stream from home

On our radar

• ​Calls are getting louder for Governor Green to bring our 27 National Guard troops home from Washington DC. They were supposedly there to support the Freedom 250 events over the Fourth of July holiday. Well, Freedom 250 events and the holiday are over—so bring them home.
• Retired Judge David Wiseman, on the Kona Indivisible Leadership Team, shared a thoughtful reflection on our broken elections commission. You can read it here.
• ​Timothy Snyder is one of the world's greatest historians, focused on the dark side of the twentieth century. His short book, On Tyranny, is essential reading on the lessons we should learn from history as we face the current authoritarian threat. He's just begun sharing a 10-part lecture course on "Hitler and Stalin Today." We learned so much from his course on The Making of Modern Ukraine, that we’ll be listening to the new one eagerly.

Hoping to run into you at the ballot drop box,

Aloha,

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