A Co-Cathedral of St. Theresa parishioner fills out a voter registration card on June 22. (HCH photo | Darlene Dela Cruz)
Very early feedback regarding the diocese’s in-Mass voter registration effort two weeks ago showed mixed and incomplete results. Some parishes reported registering dozens of potential voters, while a few parishes did not participate.
Bishop Larry Silva had asked Hawaii parishes to register new voters during the Masses over the June 21-22 weekend in an effort to help more Hawaii Catholics fulfill what he said was their “moral obligation” to cast ballots in political elections.
The bishop instructed voter registration forms be passed out in the pews and that Mass-goers who were not yet registered be invited to do so before the final blessing following instructions from the pulpit.
The Hawaii Catholic Conference office, which coordinated the project, was still in the process of collecting parish reports by the end of last week, hearing from fewer than half of them by Friday.
According to Hawaii Catholic Conference staff, several parishes reported that, while they did the drive, no one signed up. About six parishes reported only “a few” filled out the form.
The largest number of Mass-attendees filling out registration cards reported by one parish was 80. Other parish tallies were somewhat lower — 47, 30, 17, 25, 41, 6.
Some parishes said they did not conduct the drive or planned to do it over the weekend of June 28-29. Other parishes that had carried out the drive told the Hawaii Catholic Conference staff that they intended to repeat the process the following weekend.
Some parishes cited confusion regarding the process or a lack of communication to explain why they did not hold the drive.
The registration drive was mandatory for all parishes.
“We want to encourage every eligible voter to vote in the upcoming primary and general elections,” the bishop wrote in a letter to Island Catholics introducing the drive.
“Knowing the candidates and the issues is an essential exercise of our responsibility; but unless we vote, our voices will not be heard,” he said.
“Hawaii has the lowest voter participation in the country,” he added.
The bishop said that while the church cannot endorse candidates or political parties, he is asking citizens to vote for candidates who embody “the values that we hold dear as Catholics, not only for the good of our own Church, but for the common good.”
He identified as “essential” values the respect for life, the sanctity of marriage, care for the poor and most vulnerable, and religious freedom.
Hawaii’s 2014 primary election is Saturday, Aug. 9. The general election is Tuesday, Nov. 4.
