Hawaii voters are getting their midterm general election ballots in the mail this week, with a long list of local measures to work through — neutral news, but a reminder to start early.

• Ballots land statewide by Friday, and the cover is marked "general election" to avoid mix-ups with the primary ballot.
• In-person voter service centers open the following Tuesday, with pop-up sites a week later and 17 drop boxes on Oahu.
• Honolulu voters face 20 proposed charter amendments; Maui has 8, Kauai and Hawaii County one each, plus two state constitutional amendments for everyone.
• Marking a ballot with a Sharpie or white-out voids it — a mistake means calling for a replacement.
• Mailed ballots must arrive, not just be postmarked, by 7 p.m. on November 3rd.

Outlook: Expect long lines at voter service centers in the final days, so early mailing or dropping off is the safer bet.