Fijian officials are beginning to count ballots with voting closed for what is expected to be a tight election.
Voreqe "Frank" Bainimarama is seeking to extend his rule to two decades after taking power in a 2006 coup. He was installed as prime minister the year after before winning a majority at the 2014 and 2018 democratic elections.
Bainimarama said he would "of course" respect the outcome of the democratic election when he cast his vote but concerns over a possible coup remain in a nation marred by takeovers.
He is confident his FijiFirst government will be able to retain power.
Sitiveni Rabuka expressed doubt the prime minister would accept defeat.
Rabuka heads the People's Alliance party and served as former prime minister, initially taking power through a coup in 1987.
He said there was little prospect of a coup, even if Bainimarama decided to contest the result, after Fiji's military commander told his soldiers to respect the outcome of the election and said anything less would be an affront to democracy.
The Pacific nation has been marred by four coups since it gained independence in 1970.
"I accepted my defeat in 1999 and I hope he can do that," Rabuka said.
"We cannot live forever. We cannot rule forever. A successor from an opposition party should be accepted. It is a normal process in democratic systems."
However, some voters remain concerned about potential repercussions if they speak out against the government.
One, who gave his name as Jack, told AAP he wanted a change in government but both frontrunners were coup leaders.
"They're both thieves. They took the government without permission," the 50-year-old said.
"I want a change in government but when we are given a choice between two thieves, what hope is there for the future?"
People's Alliance party is working with the smaller National Federation Party to expel the incumbent FijiFirst government.
Rabuka and NFP leader Biman Prasad believe there is a mood for change.
"We expect a good day," Prasad said on Wednesday after casting his vote.
Lines stretched more than 300 metres at some polling stations an hour after voting opened but turnout dwindled throughout the day.
Supervisor of Elections Mohammed Saneem said turnout was not promising with just over half the eligible Fijians casting their votes as of an hour before polls closed.
It is significantly down from the 72 per cent who voted in 2018, and a further slide from the almost 85 per cent in 2014, when democratic elections were reinstalled after eight years.
"It is still, by Fiji's standards, not acceptable," Saneem said.
Bainimarama and FijiFirst are running on their record during the COVID-19 pandemic and a strong economy.
He has also spruiked free education, greater access to medical care and better infrastructure under his government.
Economic growth is set to reach double digits for this year and sit around 8.5 per cent next year, putting it first and third for growth in the region according to the Asian Development Bank.
But Prasad questioned where the economic gains have gone, arguing Fijians are still no better off financially.
"We have articulated very important issues of cost of living, unemployment, disastrous health services ... from the government," Prasad said.
About one quarter of Fijians live in poverty and this jumps to more than 40 per cent in rural regions.
Cost of living pressures are also biting with inflation eclipsing five per cent and the price of food more than doubling since the pandemic started in some instances.
Numerous stall owners at the Suva markets routinely had their electricity cut off when they couldn't pay the bills.
"They're not listening to anybody, we need more help," vendor Miliame told AAP.
Villagers in Togoru and Veivatuloa also expressed anger at a lack of action by the government to protect their communities by building seawalls to help mitigate the damage of the rising tide.
This article was made possible through the Melbourne Press Club's Michael Gordon Journalism Fellowship Program.
