As the dust continues to settle over the results of yesterday's primary presidential vote in New Hampshire, a pattern begins to emerge.

Candidates like Democrat Barack Obama and Republican Mike Huckabee have the charisma and freshness to pull normally uninvolved voters into the booth. But "institutional" candidates like Hillary Rodham Clinton and John McCain have their own inexorable power, which they demonstrated as they worked their way back into the game in New Hampshire.

What's that you say? Clinton and McCain institutional candidates? Isn't Clinton the first woman to make a serious major party bid for the presidency? And isn't straight-talking McCain the ultimate outsider?

Hardly. Clinton may be the most promising candidate of her gender ever, but she otherwise represents the experienced kind of person who traditionally runs for high office. And for all his irascibility, McCain is Mr. Washington, a veteran, seasoned U.S. senator who — if stands on issues matter to you — represents closer continuity to the current administration than any other candidate.

So Iowa demonstrated that the fresh and different can make a sale in presidential politics. New Hampshire showed that institutional experience can stand toe to toe with the new folks and their "change" message.

For voters across the country, including Hawai'i, it's a good thing the deal was not signed, sealed and delivered after these first two meetings. Despite the months of campaigning, there is still much to learn about these candidates who would lead the country.

So it will serve voters well if these races remain unsettled at least until the Feb. 5 mega-primary that includes New York, New Jersey and California.

Of course, even a late finish is likely to leave Hawai'i out of the picture. Hawai'i Democrats, for instance, will meet on Feb. 19, which is again rather late in the going.

So there's a good chance Hawai'i will be as marginal at the beginning of the process as it usually is at the end, when the country votes to elect a new president.

There will be plenty of excitement this year, but in many ways, Hawai'i will be on the outside looking in. It may be time to rethink the idea of a uniform national polling period, so everyone votes during the same set of hours across the country.

Or how about a standard day for nominations, either caucus or primary, across the country? That idea won't sell well in Iowa or New Hampshire, but don't the rest of us count for anything?