Super Tuesday is over, but it's still anybody's game.

Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton are still running neck and neck in their race for the Democratic nomination.

Unlike the GOP side, where John McCain is the clear front-runner, Obama and Clinton must continue to compete hard for every delegate.

Will Hawai'i, a perennial bench warmer, finally get in the big game and make a difference?

It's entirely possible.

And in such an important campaign, that should be reason enough for Hawai'i residents to take an active interest in this election, whether or not they join the Democratic Party and vote in the caucuses on Feb. 19.

The results of the caucuses will play a large role in determining how Hawai'i's 29 delegates to the Democratic National Convention will vote.

Party officials expect a large turnout at the caucuses, perhaps double the 4,000 who turned out in 2004. Of course, even 8,000 voters represent only a small fraction of the registered voters in Hawai'i.

But those votes could be influential far beyond their numbers. And at the moment, roughly 100 delegates separate the two candidates, according to Associated Press estimates.

The political landscape could change, of course: Six states and Washington, D.C., vote before Feb. 19. And Wisconsin, a key state for both candidates, votes on the same day as Hawai'i.

But Hawai'i's voters have a role to play, now and in the November general election.

With our nation at war, our economy teetering on recession and America's international reputation increasingly under fire, the stakes could not be higher.

While the two Democratic candidates hold similar position on key issues, the choice is not academic: It's also about establishing our choices for November. Then the electorate will face its most critical decision.

That's why it's important to get involved now, as a voter, campaigner or informed citizen — or perhaps all three.

If the past seven years have taught us anything, it's that it really does matter who becomes president.