By John Temple

Flickr: Scazon

The general election on the mainland is shaping up to be a referendum on President Obama and the Democratic-controlled Congress — and it's not looking pretty. But in Hawaii, the president remains popular, with a 62-percent approval rating, and 57 percent of voters feel positive about the direction of the country, nearly double the percent who feel that way nationally. The election Tuesday will tell us whether the wave of change on the mainland is strong enough to reach the islands.

Governor
Democrat Neil Abercrombie, a 72-year-old with a long record in Congress, the state House and Senate and on the Honolulu City Council, is running as an agent of change. A Civil Beat poll indicates he's going to be successful. Lt. Gov. James "Duke" Aiona has cast Abercrombie as a spendthrift who's out of touch with Hawaii, but he's got his own baggage from his 8-year partnership with Gov. Linda Lingle.

Congress
Sen. Daniel K. Inouye and Congresswoman Mazie Hirono are not suffering any of the pain of the their mainland colleagues. But in the 1st Congressional District, Republican Charles Djou has cast his Democratic opponent, state Senate President Colleen Hanabusa, as a rubber stamp for her party's big-spending leaders. Despite that, it's quite likely Hawaii will be one of the few states where Democrats take back a seat from Republicans.

Legislature
This is where the Democratic dominance of Hawaii politics is most clear. They hold 23 of the 25 seats in the Senate and 46 of 51 in the House. While the Republicans managed to field candidates in most legislative races this year, the mix is not expected to change significantly.

Constitutional Amendment
Education reform has been a central issue in the governor's race. But where voters will have their most direct say is when they decide whether to replace an elected board of education with one appointed by the governor. Both candidates support the measure. A Civil Beat poll indicates it has a good likelihood of passing. Similar constitutional amendments failed in 1970 and 1994. If it's approved, you can thank the Furlough Fridays debacle.

City Charter
Voters will decide whether to create a public transit authority to plan, construct, operate, maintain and expand the city's proposed $5.5 billion rail project. No matter what they decide, the project will continue to move forward.

City Council
Big money is being thrown around to win the seat in the most affluent part of town, East Honolulu's District 4, with Rich Turbin and Stanley Chang raising nearly $620,000 between them for a job that pays $52,446 a year. Districts 2 and 6 are also up for grabs.

Board of Education
Thirteen candidates are running for six seats on the 13-person board. The winners might serve only for a few months, if voters eliminate the very offices they're seeking.

Bottom Line
All eyes will be on the governor's and 1st Congressional District races, the results of which will tell whether a new generation of Republican leaders has emerged or whether Democrats in Hawaii withstood a political wave that is sweeping the mainland.

Voting Questions
Polling places are open from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday. If you don't know where to vote, here's a site that will help.

On Election Night
Get live updates, results and analysis at http://www.civilbeat.com/.

DISCUSSION: Share your thoughts and read what others have to say about Hawaii politics.