Fijians have flocked to the polls, with the country's opposition parties increasingly confident they can beat Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama and win power in the Pacific Island country.
Polling closed at 6pm on Wednesday local time, ending a blackout which put a halt to all political campaigning and most election media coverage in the two days leading up to the poll.
Vote counting has now begun, with the first results expected to filter through later on Wednesday night.
But diplomats, analysts and political observers in Fiji warn the result may be close and there may not be a clear outcome for several days.
Both Mr Bainimarama and his main opponent — former prime minister Sitiveni Rabuka — cast their ballots in Suva this morning under clear and sunny skies.
Mr Rabuka struck a bullish tone after voting. When journalists asked about his chances of victory he declared he was "feeling great and getting better".
But the People's Alliance leader also predicted Mr Bainimarama would try to use the courts to hang on to power if he lost.
"I think he will not [accept it] and he has recourse to the Court of Disputed Returns," Mr Rabuka said.
"So I'm hoping for a flood of votes in our favour so if he makes any attempt at going through that course it will be futile."
Mr Bainimarama brushed off most questions from both local and foreign media on the way in to his local polling station.
The prime minister was visibly annoyed when an Australian journalist asked him if he would respect the result of the vote.
"Of course. Where did you come from? Haven't they got any intelligent reporters from Australia to come and ask me better questions than that?" he asked.
He also declined to answer most questions after he had finished voting, saying: "I don't have any comment, I don't want to waste my time."
'We cannot rule forever'
The election is the third since Fiji's constitution was changed in 2013, after Mr Bainimarama seized power in a military coup in 2006.
The Fiji First leader subsequently won elections in 2014 and 2018 which were judged to be both free and fair, although civil society groups say the government has continued to use police and the courts to intimidate its political opponents.
Mr Rabuka also seized power in a military coup in 1987, before returning five years later to win a subsequent election in 1992.
He was defeated in the 1999 election — the last time there was a peaceful transition of power from a government to an opposition in Fiji.
"I accepted my defeat in 1999, congratulated [Labour leader] Mahendra Chaudhry and I hope [Mr Bainimarama] can do that," Mr Rabuka said after voting.
"We cannot live forever. We cannot rule forever."
Fiji First 'will support me'
Mr Bainimarama and his party have been campaigning hard on their economic record, pointing out they have successfully grown Fiji's economy and drawn record levels of investment to the country.
However, Fiji's economy was hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, and the crucial tourism sector was devastated when borders were closed.
More recently, inflationary pressures — partly stemming from supply-chain woes and the economic disruptions caused by Russia's invasion of Ukraine — have taken a heavy toll on family budgets and local businesses.
Still, some voters give Fiji First credit for the way it has shepherded the economy through the turmoil.
Diana Kudrunavanua, 52, told the ABC she would vote for Fiji First because it would "do the things that we ordinary citizens need".
"Like development for the wider population, the things we need. For example, I'm getting old, and when I apply for my social welfare, they will support me," she said.
"Our children's education — we don't pay anything."
'Skyrocketing' living costs
But other voters said it was getting increasingly hard to deal with skyrocketing costs.
Seasonal workers Lite Sivu and Sami Toganivalu travelled from Far North Queensland to their home in Suva on Sunday in order to vote on Wednesday.
"Our family back home have been complaining about the high food prices. Everything has been skyrocketing," Ms Sivu said.
"I really feel sorry for them because there is no money, no work. The unemployment rate is very high and everything is going up."
Ethnic tensions resurface
And while cost of living issues have been front and centre for many voters today, debates over racial discrimination and persistent ethnic tensions have still bubbled to the surface during the campaign.
Fiji First has repeatedly warned that Indo-Fijians could face renewed persecution if Mr Rabuka is victorious, saying he wants to introduce discriminatory laws favouring ethnic Fijians.
When Mr Rabuka seized power in 1987 he deposed a multi-ethnic government heavily backed by Indo-Fijians, claiming that native Fijians faced unfair discrimination and economic disadvantage.
He has since apologised repeatedly for the coup and declared Indo-Fijians will be treated fairly if they back his party in the election.
Mr Rabuka was also embroiled in controversy earlier this month when he suggested his party might reintroduce an old race-based scholarship scheme if he won the election.
At the time, Fiji's Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum said the "entire modus operandi" of the People's Alliance was its "obsession" with ethnicity.
"They do not actually understand how to operate in a modern nation-state," he said.
"They do not understand there is a needs-based approach that we need to have.
"They do not understand that once you start ethnicity in this, you start ethnicity in everything … every single public facet of life will be based on ethnicity."
On Wednesday morning, Mr Rabuka said Fiji First wanted to "instil fear" in Indo-Fijian voters, and insisted he would treat all citizens equally if he was successful at the ballot box.
"It's been more than 30 years, and it's been a great, great era for them. They have seen no discriminatory policies introduced by the government I led between 1992 and 1999," he said.
"They should be pretty certain that I mean what I said then, and what I say now, when I say they are safe."
'We all need a change'
One Indo-Fijian voter, Devina Deepika, told the ABC she was not anxious about Mr Rabuka possibly winning power.
"Even if Rabuka wins, I have no issues," she said.
"Whatever he did in 1987 is long gone, long forgotten. We need to move past it.
"I don't need to ponder what he did in the past. He has apologised, he has moved on. People need to move on as well."
She said while she gave Fiji First and Mr Bainimarama credit for doing a "fair" job in power, she would still be voting for an opposition party.
"We need to see what new people can get in [with] new ideas, and see what they can do for us," she said.
"I think we all need a change at this moment."
