Fiji will head to the polls today for its first election since a military coup in 2006 -- and the world is watching to see if it will mark the end of the dictatorship.
Laota Waucu, 27, a first-time voter, is thrilled at being able to have a say on the country's return to democracy.
"I just want Fiji to be a normal country again," said Ms Waucu, who is unemployed.
Matai Vasu, 22, who is also voting for the first time, said she was an undecided voter.
"All the candidates have good and bad points, and I really don't want to waste my vote," she said.
"It's exciting, but also scary to have this power to decide on my country's future."
There are 248 candidates from seven parties standing in the election. More than 590,000 voters will go to the polls from 7.30am this morning until 6pm tonight.
The election is being closely watched by New Zealand, which has a team of observers on the ground as part of the multinational observer group.
The leader of the New Zealand contingent, former deputy prime minister Wyatt Creech, said the observers were happy so far in the lead-up to the election.
He said the only concern observers had was that the election rules were being interpreted differently by different people.
"Until you've had the major election, you can't really say if it is free and fair," Mr Creech said.
"But in the lead-up, none of us have seen anything mechanically that looks like an effort to undermine the elections."
Mr Creech said the election was extremely important as Fijians wanted to go back to living in a democracy and New Zealand was eager to welcome Fiji back after eight years of diplomatic, travel and military sanctions.
Mr Creech said the group would make a preliminary report about its observations on the election tomorrow.
Supervisor of Elections Mohammed Saneem said: "It is a massive exercise and it will have its own share of problems and difficulties, however this does not mean that a voter will not get to vote."
Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, attorney-general and minister responsible for elections warned employers that it was an offence to prevent their employees from voting. Those who did could be fined heavily or sent to jail.
Fiji election
590,000 registered voters
248 candidates
7 political parties
By Lincoln Tan in Suva
