Voter turnout for the first-ever Hawaii Republican caucuses on Tuesday night exceeded the party’s expectations, breaking 10,000 as Republicans backed former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney.

David Chang, the state’s GOP chairman, had predicted the caucuses would draw 5,000 to 10,000 voters. Organizers thought 6,000 was possible, but they really had no way of knowing how many voters would show up.

"It shows that the Republican Party is alive and well. And this is a game changer," Chang said. "We’re going to take this momentum into the general election."

Turnout was strong in areas of the state where Republicans are competitive, such as East Honolulu and the Windward side of Oahu, but peaked on the North Shore of Oahu.

Romney, a Mormon, was expected to perform exceptionally well in the North Shore area near Brigham Young University-Hawaii and the Laie Temple. His son Matt appeared at a rally in Laie on Monday. Early returns on Tuesday night suggested the caucus might be a close clash between Romney and former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum, but then the North Shore districts made the result a decisive one for Romney.

The state GOP reported that at least 1,110 voters cast ballots on the North Shore and that 1,027 chose Romney, a staggering 92.5 percent dominance.

Unofficial results statewide show Romney with 45 percent, Santorum with 25 percent, U.S. Rep. Ron Paul with 18 percent and former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich with 11 percent.

Chang said the party would wait until receiving ballots by mail from the neighbor islands and recounting the initial tally before announcing how the candidates will split the state’s delegates. Seventeen of the 20 delegates to the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Fla., this summer will be awarded proportionally based on the vote.

Republican analysts have projected that Romney will likely claim nine delegates, Santorum will get five and Paul three. Chang cautioned, however, that those figures may shift after the final count.

Romney, who also took nine delegates from a victory in the American Samoa caucuses on Tuesday, said it is time for Republicans to join together.

"I am delighted to have won the Hawaii and American Samoa caucuses," he said in a statement. "From one end of America to the other, the voters have spoken. And what they have said is that they want to send a conservative businessman to the White House. With these two contests, I have gained at least 18 additional delegates on my quest for the Republican Party presidential nomination.

"It’s time for Republicans to join together and focus on our central challenge, which is defeating Barack Obama at the polls in November. The country can’t afford four more years of his failed economic policies. It’s time to make our federal government simpler, smaller, and smarter. I know the way forward. And I thank all those voters who have shown their confidence in my ability to turn our great country around."