Hawaii's turnout problem is getting worse at the bottom of the age range, and both parties are scrambling to fix it before ballots land.

• Only a third of Hawaii's registered voters cast a ballot in the 2026 primary.
• Turnout is highest among people 55 and older and weakest among the young.
• Both Democrats and Republicans are courting young voters, with social media and casual events like beach barbecues.
• Getting young people to actually return a ballot is proving much harder than getting them interested.
• A Hawaii student was just elected national president of the College Democrats of America, raising the state's profile in the push.

Outlook: Mail ballots start arriving October 16, and the next few weeks will show whether any of the youth outreach moves the numbers.