Just back from checking out today's voting. I wanted to take a photo of the outside of the polling station, but Mark was not happy at all about that idea. Instead, I have this shot of him showing his thumb ... and his darling daughter, who just happens to be perched on his shoulders.

We dropped the kids off with Grandma and Granddad, as they'd already completed their civic duty and were happy for Sam and Cj to hang with them while we went to see how it all was going and do our bit.

We're on the global media back burner with Congo also voting today, but I'm pleased to report that all was calm and quiet at Baie Lazare School, the vot stasyon for our district. The police were there, but all day long the mood has been friendly and gentle. All party-related gear, including caps and t-shirts, was nowhere to be seen, in accordance with the law, and even those known to be on opposite sides of the political fence were behaving with respect and restraint.

Since there's no such thing as an absentee ballot here, if you want to vote, you have to show up. Many a party loyal spends the day ferrying the old and the disabled from home to polls, and during our wait no fewer than three wheelchair-bound voters were gently moved from the beds of pickups to a place in the fast track queue. In years past, I've seen voters brought in on stretchers. Yes, with a population of just 85,000, every vote counts and every voter wants to be counted.

The queues had been long earlier, with hundreds waiting to cast their ballot, but we arrived during a midday lull with only about forty patiently standing in line.

The process is simple and straightforward:

1) Present left hand for inspection under ultra-violet light. If nothing shows, you ...

2) Hand over national identity card to a person who looks up the name in the voter registry, then loudly reads out the ID number, the name and the birth date, then crosses the name in the register and instructs you to ...

3) Move to the next table where a dot of permanent purple ink is dabbed onto your left thumbnail and cuticle, and your index finger is sprayed with something that will show up under ultra-violet light for the next number of weeks no matter what. Suitably marked now as a voter you ...

4) Pass to a table where a ballot is separated from others, folded carefully and punched, which makes it official and allows you to ...

5) Go into the booth and mark your ballot.

The voting act, itself, is very quick, as there are only three names (along with a photo and a party logo), and your only job is to tick one.

This election today is only for president. We will have another at some point for Members of the National Assembly ... the legislative branch of government ,,, but today was just a three-man race for the top job. Well, the top job and sidekick, as each candidate does have a VP, but they're nowhere to be seen on the ballots.

There are no exit polls and no media coverage at all until every ballot has been counted and a result is announced. That should be sometime around midnight. I'm predicting a turnout of close to 90%, but who will win is beyond my ability to guess. It's going to be a squeaker.

Officials from both major parties, along with Commonwealth election professionals and a team of international observers are keeping a close eye on the process from every angle, so the election is free and it is fair.

I'll post the results tomorrow ...