Early this morning, East Honiara residents flooded their respective polling stations to cast their votes.

East Honiara currently has 26 intending candidates eyeing the Parliamentary seat, the largest number in Solomon Islands Election history.

Last night saw truckloads of people driving through the streets of Honiara shouting the names of their candidates. Despite the heavy rain yesterday, the spirits of the people were never dampened.

Solomon Times went to the Mbua Valley polling station where crowds of people were gathering to cast their votes. Police officers were also at the polling station to try and control the ques.

Amidst frustrations of the electoral officers, people were shoving at each other to get into the classroom to cast their vote.

According to an interview by Solomon Times, most of the people at the Mbua Valley polling station were voting for Edward Ronia as their candidate for east Honiara.

"We think Ronia is an honest person and we believe he can bring change to our constituency," says Godwin Laura of Mbua Valley.

"Edward Ronia is who we are all voting for as we believe he is not corrupt, he is honest and trustworthy," says Danny Fa'alimae of Mbua Valley.

"It's about time that we have someone new. We don't want to vote for someone to forget about us when we put him in Parliament. East Honiara needs a leader who will serve his people and not himself," says a betel nut market vendor.

Another voter reckons the East Honiara seat will be a competition between Silas Milikada and Edward Ronia, "but we will have to wait for the results."

In a few more interviews, they think that Alfred Sasako should be voted as the East Honiara Parliamentarian as according to most, Mr. Sasako understands the system in the Government as he was a former Member of Parliament.

It is believed that the candidate who has the support of the Lungga area, Burnscreek area and residents on the outskirts of East Honiara will most likely win.

For the Bye Election of East Honiara and Lau Baelelea, forty-five thousand voters have been registered to vote.

According to sources, more than thirty thousand voters have been registered for the East Honiara constituency and 15 or so thousand have registered for the Lau Baelelea constituency. In the past, not all voters registered often vote in elections.

Thirty seven polling stations are currently in East Honiara while twenty nine are set up for the Lau Baelelea constituency.

As the day wore on, more and more people flooded the East Honiara, Mbua Valley polling station. Some to vote and some came as spectators. With the ongoing argument among the voters and electoral officers, this was an entertainment; many would be sticking around to watch the whole day.

Solomon Times was informed that the results will be made available tomorrow morning.