Tuesday is the general election. Please don't forget to cast your vote.

Voting is impersonal. You watch a debate or read campaign material sent by mail, then go to polls and vote. Do you know the personal side of the people who are in office representing you? I admit I don't.

I was delighted to find out this snippet about our governor: Linda Lingle has a soft spot for pets.

Several years ago, Lingle came to The Advertiser for an editorial board meeting. During that time, one of her bodyguards sat next to my desk, and we got to talking about pets. He told me a heartwarming story.

When Lingle was campaigning for governor in Hilo several years back, she saw a terrified gray-striped kitten hiding under a car at the Naniloa Hotel. She asked her bodyguards to crawl underneath the car (no easy feat, since her bodyguards are big and muscular) to retrieve the kitten. This lucky kitten was then sent to Honolulu to live with her.

The kitty's name? Nani-Girl. She was named after the Naniloa Hotel. So cute!

Animal lover Leslie Kawamoto has been with the Advertiser for 18 years, or 126 in dog years. Check out her blog at www.HonoluluAdvertiser.com/Blogs