While much has been made of the campaign donations and political support raised online by national politicians, Hawai'i candidates still rely heavily on more traditional methods, according to campaign organizers and political scientists.

It's true that several local candidates have set up profiles on social networking sites such as Facebook, MySpace, Twitter and LinkedIn, which offer users ways to interact.

But unlike presidential candidates, those seeking local political office here primarily see the Internet as a secondary tool, and are still relying on longstanding campaign practices such as public appearances, fundraisers, direct mail, and phone call banks staffed by volunteers.

Until just recently, the campaign Web site for Mayor Mufi Hannemann, who maintains profiles on Facebook and MySpace, did not allow for online donations.

But that has hardly mattered.

Hannemann has more than $2.5 million in his campaign war chest, while none of his challengers has much money.

Meanwhile, political observers caution that the demographic most in tune with the online world is traditionally the least likely to vote, men and women between the ages of 18 and 35. The online crowd also features a lot of college students and young people with scarce financial resources and limited ability to give.

Visitors to candidate sites tend to already be supporters, observers say, and that does little toward converting the undecided voter.

"It remains to be seen whether online campaigning is going to have much of an impact on electoral outcomes. Rarely do the lower-level races, state legislators, city offices, reach out to people who don't know and convince them to give money," said Richard Davis, a political science professor at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. "At the state and local level, these may be young people (online) who have the worst voting habits. Hawai'i is a very traditional political state. That's the reality across the country, there are varying approaches given the use of the Internet."

Building off a strategy implemented by former Vermont governor Howard Dean during his 2004 presidential race, candidates such as U.S. Sens. Barack Obama and John McCain have been using social networking sites and interactive campaign Web sites to marshal support.

Obama has been particularly successful at online fundraising, with much of the $340 million he had raised as of June coming from the Internet.

CATCHING UP TO TIMES

Former U.S. congressman Ed Case remembers arriving in Washington, D.C., in 2002 at a Congress that did not feature a wide array of official Web sites.

Case, who had used e-mail blasts since the late 1990s to communicate with constituents, eventually created a campaign Web site featuring a link allowing supporters to donate with a credit or debit card.

"It's all about communication, really. Nothing can or should replace getting out there, pressing the flesh and meeting people one on one," said Case. Yet, "an increasing number of voters are communicating and receiving information online. If you're leaving that aspect out of a campaign, you're essentially not communicating with an increasing number of voters."

Hannemann's campaign is employing the services of four college students home for the summer to coordinate all its Facebook, MySpace and YouTube campaign efforts.

The group connects its peers who support the mayor while pushing the campaign's message through various online communities.

"The mayor wants to reach out to the younger voters and the younger generation. As we learn from Howard Dean, and Sen. Barack Obama this election cycle, the Internet is a very powerful tool in campaigning," said A.J. Halagao, Hannemann's campaign coordinator.

"We've attracted some younger voters. We like what's going on."

SHAKING HANDS

Although Hannemann's Web site accepts online donations, his campaign does not expect Internet fund raising to replace more traditional methods.

"A lot of supporters like to come to an event and hand the check over and meet the candidate," said Halagao. "The thing about the online donations, it is easier to just click a button and be done with it. It's not going to be our primary source but we want to give our supporters an alternative way to donate."

City councilman Charles K. Djou, who said he will run for the U.S. House in 2010, has maintained a Web site since 1998.

Djou, who also has profiles on MySpace and Facebook, said that at a minimum the Internet is a means to communicate with constituents while shoring up support.

He acknowledged that no medium can be "more effective than shaking someone's hand and thanking them for their support."

"In 1998 when I first ran for state House, having a Web site was a novelty. Today, it's accepted as normal," said Djou. "Now in 2008, the lack of a Web site may make you look antiquated. I don't know if it translates into votes but if you don't have a basic Web site, you might look way too out of date."

STAYING ON MESSAGE

U.S. Rep. Neil Abercrombie, D-Hawai'i, regularly updates his Twitter portal on his Web page, sometimes during airport layovers, to ensure that the site stays fresh.

His Web site also features updated video, blogs and links to Abercrombie's profiles on social networking sites.

Bill Kaneko, Abercrombie's campaign consultant, said, "All sophisticated politicians recognize that how you communicate messages is changing.

"The Internet has become a major factor in any political operation. The cost of traditional media venues, television advertisements, print media or a mail drop, is very, very, very expensive," Kaneko said. "Campaigns are always looking for a cost-effective way to get their message out and the Internet is the way to do it."

Despite the slower adoption of online methods by local politicians, keeping up a Web site has become a sign of relevance.

"Any candidate who is not using the Internet is way behind," said Susan Horowitz, director of the Pacific New Media program at the University of Hawai'i-Manoa. "There is an incredible amount of information on the Web and it is a constant barrage, with blogs and news sites that have a need to feed themselves. I hope it makes a difference, because we need more people involved."

Said Neal Milner, a political scientist and ombudsman at the UH-Manoa: "I can't think of any disadvantage to raising money online and mobilizing voters that way as long as you consider it an addition to traditional campaigning."