Photos by Linny Folau

Polling in Tonga's General Election kicked off today with heavy numbers of outer island voters gathering at the Akoteu school ground, a new polling site in Nuku'alofa for the outer islands voters.

The usual site at Pangai Si'i is not being used in this election.

Voters from the outer islands of 'Eua, Ha'apai, Vava'u, Niuatoputapu, Niuafo'ou; 'Atata and 'Eueiki who are resident on Tongatapu, poured into Akoteu early and at 9:30am it was evident that the Ha'apai polling booth was attracting a better turnout in comparison to the other islands' booths, and as the lines got longer and the voters formed into two lines waiting to cast their votes.

After checking their names against the register of electors, their registered number was written onto the ballot paper before they were allowed to cast their votes.

At the Vava'u polling tent, voters resident on Tongatapu, turned out in lighter numbers but it started to pick up after 11am.

As for the smaller outer islands of 'Eua, the two Niuas, 'Ata'ata and 'Eueiki their polling tents were practically deserted first thing this morning but voters started to turn up in a few small groups after 10am.

By comparison, the polling station of Kolofo'ou, a large area in the capital, did not appear to be so busy first thing in the morning. But the station located at the Anglican St Paul's Hall in central Nuku'alofa, started to become busy near midday as working voters went to the hall to cast their votes during their lunch breaks.

One of the Kolofo'ou voters was HRH Princess Nanasipau'u Tuku'aho, and one of the Tongatapu candidates Sione Fonua arrived at the same polling site to cast his vote.

After midday at the Kolofo'ou polling station the parking lot was getting full as downtown voters started to pick up in numbers and were expected do so throughout the afternoon until the polls closed at 4pm.

Meanwhile, the other suburban polling stations throughout Nuku'alofa also reported that the numbers were light in the morning but picked up during lunch break.

The preliminary results of the 2008 Parliamentary General Election to elect nine People's Representative, will be released later this evening by the Registrar of Elections. The results will be posted on the Matangi Tonga Online website tonight as they come to hand.