The deployment of more than 2,000 soldiers and police has ensured a calm start to polling in Papua New Guinea's Southern Highlands.
The high level of security has been put in place after last years elections in the region were declared void because of violence, intimidation and ballot box interference.
Half of the country's police force are involved in running the supplementary elections in six of the South Highlands nine seats.
The final ballot boxes from the Koroba-Lake Kopiago electorate have already arrived in the the provincial capital, Mendi for counting after polling started on Saturday.
Officials are attempting to avoid tampering with ballot boxes by flying them under security to be counted in one place.
They are also using officials from outside the province to overcome local pressures.
Voting in one of the areas worst hit by violence last year, the township of Tari, is due to get underway today.
