Manoa Elementary School's cafeteria was packed and the line to sign in wrapped around the outdoor blacktop and playground area as more than 3,200 people lined up an hour before they could vote.

"I'm 60 and this is my first time voting," said Manoa resident Alysa Kealoha.

Kealoha said the last candidate who inspired her was former President John F. Kennedy and she was still a teenager when she watched him get assassinated.

But with U.S. Sen. Barack Obama promising change, Kealoha said it was time for her to get involved. "I want to do something so young people have something to believe in," she said.

Obama supporters were visible and vocal and many carried signs or sported buttons, which were there for the taking near the entrance to the cafeteria.

However, Sen. Hillary Clinton had supporters as well.

Retired teacher Dennis Ohta, 63, said it was his first time participating in a caucus and an hour the caucus started he said he would "probably" vote for Clinton because of her experience.

"When you're young, you still have too much idealism and not enough experience," he said.

It was idealism that brought many voters out to support Obama.

University of Hawai'i student Ben Toribio, 21, said only Obama could have drawn him to a caucus. "It took someone like Obama to come out. We don't care for Hillary," he said as he waited to see whether he would be allowed to caucus based on his college dorm address rather than his permanent Kaua'i address.

The issue was resolved quickly when Toribio changed his voter registration to vote in Manoa for the November general election.

Radiology manager Jay Shaffer, 37, has caucused before, but never in Hawai'i.

Local support for Punahou graduate Obama made this caucus seem particularly important to Shaffer, a Clinton supporter. "You come to get your candidate on the ballot," he said.

Clare Hanusz, 39, said this was her first caucus anywhere and she decided to do it for the first time "because Hawai'i finally matters."

"It's actually exciting to think that my little vote can be part of a collective change," she said.