We all know what majority rule is — or what it's supposed to be, at least. Hawai'i seems to have abandoned that principle of democracy, substituting the notion of "minority rule."

That is, a small minority of its residents makes decisions that affect everyone.

The abysmal voter turnout at Saturday's primary election conveys the bleak picture with a single figure: 35 percent.

That's the proportion of registered voters who bothered to vote. Yes, primaries often lack the excitement of the general election, but the voter tally amounts to nearly 46,000 fewer ballots cast than in the primary two years ago.

Just when most observers figured Hawai'i voter turnout couldn't get any worse, residents fall short even of those low expectations.

The biennial search for an explanation this year turns up no easy excuses for such poor performance, not the new ballot, not the work of the state Elections Office. For those who have schedule conflicts, there was ample opportunity to cast an absentee ballot.

And there were no serious glitches that would have discouraged anyone who attempted to vote on Saturday. A shortage of precinct volunteers meant some polling places opened late; although it wasn't a significant impediment on Saturday, elections officials must correct the situation before the general, when the presidential race is sure to attract a higher turnout.

Perhaps for some folks, voting simply fell off their to-do list of important tasks. That truly would be a shame.

Unfortunately, too often voter apathy is born of cynicism. People dismiss voting because they see little impact on their lives.

And elected officials have to bear much of the blame for this attitude. Many treat their offices as entitlements, becoming part of the system they'd vowed to reform.

Still, the results of several primary races — the mayor's race, and several close state Capitol contests — ought to shame the stay-at-homes with the realization that their votes do, in fact, matter. And at a time when leaders are going to be making tough spending decisions, taxpayers owe it to themselves to get engaged in government and elect the best people to office.