Navy veteran and motivational speaker Jerry Coffee officially withdrew yesterday from the Republican primary for the U.S. Senate because of health reasons, but his name will still be on the ballot.

The state Office of Elections will post notices of Coffee's withdrawal at early voting sites, polling places and in absentee ballot packets still being mailed out. The primary is Sept. 23.

"Ballots have been printed, and the election time frame is tight, so we're hoping that the notices will be sufficient to notify voters that this candidate has withdrawn," Dwayne Yoshina, the state's chief election officer, said in a statement.

Coffee, a former prisoner of war in Vietnam who lives in 'Aiea Heights, suspended his campaign in early August after undergoing emergency heart bypass surgery but did not formally withdraw until yesterday. Today is the deadline for candidates to withdraw for health reasons.

Five other Republicans — Mark Beatty, Chas. "Akacase" Collins, Jay Friedheim, Edward Pirkowski and Steve Tataii — are also on the ballot. But Coffee was the candidate who had the support from Gov. Linda Lingle and other leading party officials.

Coffee was in Texas for a funeral when he became ill and was hospitalized. He has returned to the Islands and said yesterday he is feeling better but unable to campaign.

"I'm feeling better each day, gaining strength little by little," Coffee said. "It was a very significant hit, you might say, but I'm taking it really slow and watching the election from the sidelines with mixed emotions."

The winner of the Republican primary will face the winner of the Democratic primary between U.S. Sen. Daniel Akaka and U.S. Rep. Ed Case. If Coffee were to win the primary, Republicans would have the right to choose a replacement for the general election in November.

Reach Derrick DePledge at ddepledge@honoluluadvertiser.com.