The police and international and local monitors have joined election officials at polling booths in Solomon Islands as the general elections get under way.
The police say they don't expect any trouble to occur as voting takes place throughout the day.
453 candidates from 13 parties and groupings are contesting the elections for the 50 seat parliament.
One of the international monitors, Sir Arnold Amet, a former chief justice of Papua New Guinea, says they will be closely observing what happens.
"We have the permission of the Electoral Commission to be able to observe, with the assistance of the polling officials, as much of all that taking place at the polling stations, observing the elections, except of course, the private casting of the votes."
Sir Arnold says he will go to three constituencies during the day with voting set to end at 5pm Solomon Islands time.
