It's an election year, so expect your legislator to be working for you this session.

This year, all 51 representatives and 12 of 25 senators will have to prepare for the fall election.

This could make some more cautious and more inclined to support projects that benefit their communities, rather than those that benefit the state as a whole.

While some might call this pandering to voters, John Hart, associate dean of communication at Hawai'i Pacific University, said that just because lawmakers may take different actions in an election year, they aren't necessarily taking bad ones.

"Maybe they become more responsible when the lights are bigger," he said. "I don't think there's anything wrong with them reacting to the public watching them. Maybe if the public watched them more, that wouldn't be a bad thing."

In a state with historically low voter turnout, some question whether anyone is really watching, but a presidential election traditionally draws more voters, and this year's contested presidential election — with the possibility of the first woman or black candidate — is more exciting than most and more attention will trickle down to local races.

For sitting lawmakers, the session is a last opportunity to add to the list of accomplishments they can present to voters.

"This is seen as a preamble to the upcoming election, and that's the primary consideration that they have: How is what we do going to affect our being re-elected," said Ira Rohter, a University of Hawai'i political science professor.

Lawmakers will be attempting to bring home projects they think their constituents want, particularly those with money attached.

Political consultant and pollster Don Clegg says their focus is on their constituents and their area.

Clegg doesn't mean it as a criticism of the Legislature, however. "It's what a prudent legislator would do. If you don't get elected, you're not in the game," he said. "If you want to be a player, you have to get elected."

Reach Treena Shapiro at tshapiro@honoluluadvertiser.com.