It is already sunset, but well over 100 voters are still waiting for their turn to vote in the long line, zigging-zagging the courtyard of a polling station at Wereda (district) 23 in Addis Ababa.

The polling station, housed in a Wereda office near the famous Abo Church, opened at 6 a. m. (0300 GMT) and has seen some 1,200 voters cast their voting papers.

Surafel Worku, a young coffee trader, entered the hall upon hearing the calling of his name and voter's card number, which were checked at the same time by some election officers.

Surafel produced his voter's card to the presiding voting officer, who gave him two ballot papers, a blue one for the lower House of People's Representative and a green one for the regional council, and told him to mark them in the booth at the corner. Before having his thumb dipped into blue indelible ink, he marked the ballot papers and put them in one ballot box.

The whole process lasted about five minutes. "I have done my job at long last," Surafel said with a long sigh of relief. He said that his legs were aching after standing in the queue for five hours.

Election officers, deployed in the polling station, were doing their best to peacefully end Sunday's elections.

Mamo Belay, an election officer in the polling station, said the voters started to come to the station very early than his expectation.

"I am really amazed by what I have seen today in our polling station. Voters are casting their vote in a democratic manner to which they want," he said.

Over 20 million people were estimated to cast their ballots for a total of 36 political parties, including the ruling Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF), the Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD) and the United Ethiopian Democratic Forces (UEDF). CUD and UEDF, the country's two major opposition parties, are challenging the ruling party's 14 years in power.

Mekonen Wondimu, senior experts of the state-appointed National Electoral Board of Ethiopia (NEBE), said this year's election, the third since the EPRDF came to power in 1991, is very different from the previous years in terms of massive voters turnout and a large number of opposition parties.

"I hope the electorate would cast their votes for the political parties which they believe would meet their aspirations," he said.

Mekonen said NEBE urged political parties and private candidates not to undertake election campaign around 500 meter radius of polling stations on the polling day in order to peacefully conduct the election process.

"It is also impossible to use mobile phones inside every polling station and wear any T-shirts bearing sign of political party and private candidates," he added.

The land and education policy as well as the issue of access to the Red Sea port of Assab were the major issues, which the parties have been debating for the last four months for their election campaign.

Voters in various polling stations said the election campaign, which was aired live on television and radio for the last four months, have helped them identify parties with good and bad policies.

"I have cast my vote to the ruling party because the EPRDF was able to bring a development change to the country. I have witnessed good policies and democratic process during the past 14 years," said Letay Gebru, a 65-year-old retired civil servant.

"EPRDF has improved Addis Ababa with the new modern international airport, ring road, Sheraton Hotel and the numerous new buildings, and the improved roads outside Addis Ababa," said Letay.

The majority of voters in all the polling stations were casting their ballots in a very democratic process.

The prestigious Addis Ababa University (AAU) is one of the polling stations in the capital where international observers, including some from the US-based Carter Center, were found to be monitoring the election process.

There, thousands of students were casting their votes in a peaceful way in the presence of Carter Center and media representatives.

The students said they have been waiting the election eagerly since the last few months.

"We are happy to cast our votes today to which we believe has a good vision for the country. The election campaign helped us identify the candidates," said Mesfin Mandefero, a third year political science student.

Mesfin said the majority of the students are interested to cast their ballot for parties that have a good educational policy.

"As a student, I vote for the ruling party whom I believe has a good education policy to the country. Now, students are getting education alternatives than ever before. There were only two or three universities before 14 years. Now, there are around eight universities in Ethiopia. It is because of the current good policy. This should be encouraged," Mesfin said.

Professor Abiy Ford, dean of AAU Journalism Department, said that it is the first time when such democratic election is being held in Ethiopia.

"This year's election is very different from the previous years. As far as I am concerned, the process has been conducted in a very democratic way. Voters are casting their vote to elect their democratic leaders. It would be the historical election in the country. We are waiting the result eagerly and in a peaceful manner, " Abiy said.

The professor also called up the contesting parties to peacefully accept the outcome in a democratic manner.

"It is obvious that there would be loser in every election. It is like soccer. But all the parties should accept the result in a democratic manner," he added.

Some observers and Addis Ababa residents suggested that the ruling party would win the election with a very tough condition.

"The ruling party will win to remain in power. But the parliament would be full of opposition parties than ever before. It would be good to strengthen the democratic process of Ethiopia," said Tadesse Haile, AAU political science professor.