Voters such as Judith Limtiaco, who cast her ballot today at Mililani High School, seemed to come to the polls with a mission.

Limtiaco wouldn't say who she was voting for. But she came specifically to vote against one candidate for mayor — Mufi Hannemann.

"I just want to get Mufi out of there, so you can probably guess who I'm voting for."

However, her vote may have been offset by Jennifer Grant, also of Mililani, who was at the same precinct to vote specifically for Hannemann.

"Mufi — I feel he's doing a wonderful job," said Grant. "Also, I'm concerned about traffic congestion and the proposed rail system. I'm sold on rail. And I know he's going to try to make it happen."

Limtiaco's complaints against the current mayor included O'ahu's mass transit project, what she called poor street maintenance "and I just don't think he's done that much."

At the Kamokila Park Recreation Center's House District 44 polling place, Bruce Mount of Ko Olina had mixed feelings about the mayoral contest.

"I would like to see the mayoral race ended in the first polling," said Mount. "I'd like to just go ahead and put all the nonsense to rest.

"Mufi Hannemann might not be the best guy for the job, but he's the guy who's there, and he's doing OK. And I do support rail."

Back at Mililani's House District 38 polling place, Evelyn Rogers agreed.

"I voted for Mufi Hannemann," said Rogers. "I think we should let people finish their jobs."

Eric Brown, also of Mililani, voted the same way.

"I think Mufi's doing a good job," he said. "I disagree with him on rail. And I don't like the way they went about it — shoving it down our throats, quite frankly. But, otherwise, he's doing fine. I think everyone's got a right to their opinion."

But others were still struggling with what seemed to be the big concern facing voters — rail.

"I've heard all sides of the issue and I'm still pretty much undecided," said Edileo Alcalde, 22, of Kalihi, as he was leaving House District 29's polling station at Farrington High School. "I'm for it because it could alleviate a lot of the traffic on O'ahu. But, I'm not for it because the construction would take so much time, and the money to build it is a big factor."

He wouldn't say who he had voted for or against.

Alcalde, who's studying to be an engineer, echoed the predicament of others who are conflicted about rail transit. But folks such as Stephen Escher, a longtime Makiki resident, had come a firm conclusion.

"I voted for Panos Prevedouros," he said after casting his ballot at House District 25's polling station at Makiki District Park. Escher said he favored the University of Hawai'i professor of transportation engineering because he's a bus rider, and also because he questioned the wisdom of building such an expensive project in Hawai'i's current economic downturn — especially in light of the financial meltdown on Wall Street.

"I don't know if I'll be able to use the rail," said Escher. "And I'm not so sure that an improved bus system might not do the trick."

Cindy Sugimoto, of Keolu, said she voted for Prevedouros because she was looking for a candidate who would bring change. "Maybe somebody who has no background in politics might bring something new," she said.

Richard Kimitsuka, 62, was also looking for something new.

So he voted for Kobayashi.

"Mufi is a union man," he said.

Brent Hume, a 56-year-old retired police officer, came out to Keolu Elementary School to cast his vote for Hannemann. He said the mayor has been "doing a good job" and he wants him to keep doing it.

Another Hannemann supporter, Scott Rittmeister, agreed, saying Hannemann's focus on sewers and other infrastructure concerns is the right approach. He added that he doesn't think Hannemann's challengers have a chance at unseating the mayor. "I think he's pretty much locked in."

Ellen Sofio, a physician and Manoa resident, said she voted for Kobayashi for Honolulu Mayor and that the rail issue played a big part in her vote.

"I'm not clear that rail is the most environmentally sound choice for the island," Sofio said.

Sofio said she mainly supported Kobayashi because she thought she would be the strongest challenger against Hannemann in the general election.

Likewise, Kimberly Kepher-Sybounmy, an educational consultant, supported Kobayashi.

"She felt people's voices weren't being heard, and I liked that," she said.

Hume said he didn't know much about the candidates for the House District seat that includes Waimanalo and Lanikai, so he chose Republican Quentin Kawananakoa because he knows he has political experience.

"I'm a little bit familiar with him," he said, of Kawananakoa, a former state House representative.

Meanwhile, Rich Taylor, 23, voted for legislative analyst Chris Lee because he sees him waving signs from early in the morning until well after dark. "He's the nicest looking guy on the drive," Taylor said.

"He's always there. He's just a cool guy."

Sofio was disappointed not to see Kirk Caldwell on the ballot for the House District 24 race.

"I felt that he did a good job representing the views of Manoa. He was a very powerful voice in the state House," Sofio said.

Advertiser staff writers Loren Moreno and Mary Vorsino contributed to this report.