HONOLULU -- Thousands of absentee ballots were mailed out starting last Friday, but some voters in some districts say they’re having a difficult time understanding their ballots.

Registered voter Lisa Konove has voted in every election for the past 30 years. This year, she said she is confused because of the layout of her mail-in absentee ballot.

The ballot first instructs voters to select a political party. Konove said she understood that.

Voters are then reminded to vote for special nonpartisan offices on the back of the ballot.

“That’s where I got really confused, because then I turned it over and the first thing I saw was nonpartisan ballot,” Konove said. She knew something was wrong when she saw the governor’s race and list of candidates in that column, when she had just voted in that race under a different party.

Konove did not know there is also a nonpartisan party.

Konove then saw the special nonpartisan offices ballot. The Board of Education race was listed in that column. On her ballot, the mayor’s and prosecutor’s races, also special nonpartisan races, are listed in a separate, unlabeled column.

“It doesn’t say on this ballot. It just says city and county of Honolulu. That confused me. I thought, did something change in the law that made it partisan?” Konove said.

The state’s Chief Elections Officer Scott Nago said voters must remember the special nonpartisan offices up for election include the Board of Education, Honolulu mayor, city prosecutor and the city council in certain districts.

(Link: Absentee Ballot Form)

Nago said ballots and their layout differ from district to district because of the different races and different number of candidates running for various seats.

Nago added, “Voters need to remember that the primary election is a nomination process. They need to vote one party,” Nago said.

Walk in voters who make an error on their ballots will be alerted by the counter machines.

However, absentee mail-in voters will not have that advantage. “So that’s why it’s very important that absentee voters read the instructions and vote properly,” Nago said.

There are fairly new safeguards in place. Since 2008, ballots have included a section that asks voters to select a political party.

“In the past, if you did vote for more than one party, it kicked out the partisan votes on your ballot,” Nago said.

Now, “If you do vote outside the party, the machine is programmed to count only the party you selected. A big decrease in the number of multi-party votes last election when we implemented this,” Nago said.

Nago also reminds absentee mail-in voters to use a proper marking device. “I believe it’s an ink pen and completely darken in the square next to their choice,” Nago said.

Any other mark may not be counted.

Nago also urged voters to be sure you know where your current polling place is, since that has changed for many registered voters. The elections office sent out yellow postcards to registered voters, with their correct polling place and address listed.

Absentee ballots must be received by the time the polls close on Sept. 18, primary election day.

Voters with questions can call 211 or go to elections@hawaii.gov for more information.