Hawaii has a history of civic engagement. Around statehood, in 1959, more than 90% of registered voters in Hawaii went to the polls. Click on the image to see the full chart from Hawaii’s office of elections.
Why did voter turnout drop so sharply — to the point where Hawaii now has the lowest voter turnout rate in the U.S? That’s one of the questions I’ll be looking into on the ground. I think it must have something to do with the fact that people in Hawaii were really interested in helping to shape their new state. Maybe interest waned.
