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Posted: Tuesday, November 4th, 2008 4:44 AM HST

Obama voting surge could spill over

By Associated Press

HONOLULU (AP) _ Overwhelming voter turnout today for Barack Obama in the state where he was born could benefit Democrats in other Hawaii races. Already, record numbers of island voters cast their ballots early. More than 161,000 people had either voted at walk-in polling stations or mailed ballots. Two-thirds of registered Hawaii voters -- about 432,000 people -- went to the polls in the last presidential election in 2004. In this year's primary election, a record-low 36.9 percent of voters -- about 246,000 people -- turned out. Obama is expected to achieve one of his highest percentages of any state in Hawaii. He held a rally and fund-raiser at the start of a week-long Hawaii vacation in August. He returned to the state for a solemn visit in October to be with his grandmother, Madelyn Dunham, who was gravely ill. She died Sunday night. In addition to the presidential race, Hawaii voters will decide on the mayors of Honolulu, Kauai and the Big Island, legislative seats, Office of Hawaiian Affairs trustees, Board of Education members and various ballot initiatives. Oahu voters also will decide on a separate question that asks whether the city should establish the rail system. In the Legislature, Republicans believe they can whittle away at the Democrats big majority by winning a few close races. Democrats control all but eleven out of 76 seats at the Capitol. Other ballot questions will ask voters to convene a Constitutional Convention, lower the age requirement to run for governor to 25, and make marijuana enforcement the lowest priority for police on the Big Island. (Copyright 2008 Associated Press. All rights reserved)