The Democratic Party of Hawai'i is predicting record turnout at its caucuses tonight and is asking people to be patient in the event of long lines or confusion at the caucus sites.

Caucus turnout has never exceeded 5,000 but party officials believe that figure could double tonight and could reach as high as 12,000. Local volunteers for U.S. Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois are suggesting that turnout could even climb into the 15,000 to 18,000 range, which would likely overwhelm party volunteers conducting the presidential preference poll.

Voting is scheduled between 7 and 7:30 p.m. at a minimum but the party will accept ballots from people who are in line to register to vote, sign a party membership card, or mark a ballot by 7:30 p.m.

Party officials said that more than 1,200 people had joined the party in the weeks before Super Tuesday. But an additional 5,000 people have since signed up as the caucuses became relevant to the Democratic presidential nomination.

"We ask that people please be patient with the process because we have so many people who have signed up," said Florence Kong Kee, the party's political director.

Kong Kee said the party intends to release preliminary results tonight but high turnout could delay the count until late tonight or into the early hours tomorrow. The ballots will be recounted with representatives of the campaigns on March 1 before a final count is released.

29 DELEGATES TO DENVER

Twenty of Hawai'i's 29 delegates to the Democratic National Convention in Denver in August will be awarded proportionally to the candidates based on the results of the preference poll. The remaining nine delegates — elected officials and party leaders known as superdelegates — are not officially committed to the candidates until the convention.

Although caucus turnout could be a record, it would likely represent only a fraction of the state's electorate. More than 238,000 voters, for instance, participated in the 2006 Democratic primaries.

Hawai'i had a small taste of presidential politics the week before the 2004 elections after local polls suggested the campaign between President Bush and U.S. Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts could be close in the Islands. The polls triggered visits from Vice President Dick Cheney, former Vice President Al Gore and Kerry's eldest daughter, Alexandra.

'YOU'RE MAKING HISTORY'

But party activists said the last time they can recall so much interest in the caucuses was in 1988, when the Rev. Jesse Jackson brought new people to the party but ultimately lost here to Massachusetts Gov. Michael Dukakis. Progressives encouraged by U.S. Rep. Dennis Kucinich of Ohio in 2004 helped drive caucus turnout to about 4,000, the highest since 1988.

"Be patient and be happy because you're making history," said Jeani Withington, a Big Island attorney and the party's interim chairwoman. "It could be a madhouse. I don't know what else I can say."

Reach Derrick DePledge at ddepledge@honoluluadvertiser.com.