(BIVN) – Hundreds of Big Island Democrats fill the streets in support of their candidates on the eve of the primary election.

Sign waving campaigners built excitement to a fever pitch with cheers, honking cars and beating drums.

Later, speeches were made beneath the bandstand at Mooheau Park, including an address by the sister of Barak Obama, Maya Soetoro-Ng. Cheering at the rally was so loud, tremors from a 4.3 magnitude earthquake 26 miles from Hilo were unnoticed by the crowd.

The Big Island Democratic Party’s Grand Rally is a long standing tradition in Hawaii. This was the 54th time the rally has been held. The event dates back to 1954, and the start of the “Democratic Revolution” in Hawaii.