FEB. 20 DEADLINE TO SUBMIT NEIGHBORHOOD BOARD

CANDIDATE AND VOTER REGISTRATION FORMS

            The deadline to submit completed candidate and voter registration forms for Neighborhood Board elections is February 20, 2009, approximately two weeks from now.

Both forms may be downloaded at http://www.honolulu.gov/nco.  Completed forms must be postmarked by February 20, 2009, or can be hand delivered to the Neighborhood Commission Office at Honolulu Hale Room #406 by 4:30 p.m. on February 20, 2009.

So far, only 140 people have filed candidate forms. More than 500 people applied to be candidates for the last system-wide election, in 2007. A list of everyone who has filed a candidate application form to date is posted on the NCO website.

The 2009 Neighborhood Board elections will be held in April and May of this year. At stake are 445 seats on Oahu’s 33 Neighborhood Boards, whose volunteer members hold monthly meetings and serve as advisors on community concerns.

Oahu residents who voted in the 2008 state election are pre-registered to vote in the Neighborhood Board elections. Those who did not vote, voted but changed residences since the election, or are non-citizen residents must file a voter registration form in order to vote in the 2009 Neighborhood Board elections.

The Neighborhood Board system was created in 1973 to increase and assure effective citizen participation in government decision-making.

More information on the elections and boards is available at www.honolulu.gov/nco.