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| Myanmar votes in first open election in 25 years | Myanmar votes in first open election in 25 years |
| (34 minutes later) | |
| Voting is under way in Myanmar's general election - the first openly contested poll in 25 years after decades of military rule. | Voting is under way in Myanmar's general election - the first openly contested poll in 25 years after decades of military rule. |
| Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) is expected to win the most seats, although she is barred from the presidency. | Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) is expected to win the most seats, although she is barred from the presidency. |
| The ruling Union Solidarity Development Party (USDP), backed by the military, has been in power since 2011. | The ruling Union Solidarity Development Party (USDP), backed by the military, has been in power since 2011. |
| Large crowds gathered in Yangon as Ms Suu Kyi arrived to cast her vote. | Large crowds gathered in Yangon as Ms Suu Kyi arrived to cast her vote. |
| Across the country, long queues formed at some polling booths, with reports of people queuing from long before dawn. | Across the country, long queues formed at some polling booths, with reports of people queuing from long before dawn. |
| "I've done my bit for change, for the emergence of democracy," one voter, former teacher Daw Myin, told Reuters. | "I've done my bit for change, for the emergence of democracy," one voter, former teacher Daw Myin, told Reuters. |
| About 30 million people are eligible to vote in the election in Myanmar, also known as Burma. Clear results are not expected until Monday morning. | About 30 million people are eligible to vote in the election in Myanmar, also known as Burma. Clear results are not expected until Monday morning. |
| More than 6,000 candidates from over 90 parties are vying to be elected to the 664-seat parliament in the first national elections since a nominally civilian government took power in 2011. | More than 6,000 candidates from over 90 parties are vying to be elected to the 664-seat parliament in the first national elections since a nominally civilian government took power in 2011. |
| However, 25% of seats are reserved for unelected military representatives, who are expected to side with the USDP. | However, 25% of seats are reserved for unelected military representatives, who are expected to side with the USDP. |
| Ms Suu Kyi, a former Nobel Peace Prize laureate, is barred from the presidency as the constitution disqualifies anyone with foreign offspring - her children are British. | Ms Suu Kyi, a former Nobel Peace Prize laureate, is barred from the presidency as the constitution disqualifies anyone with foreign offspring - her children are British. |
| The NLD must take 67% of all contested seats in order to gain a majority. | The NLD must take 67% of all contested seats in order to gain a majority. |
| On Thursday, she said she would be "above the president" if her party won. | On Thursday, she said she would be "above the president" if her party won. |
| Current President Thein Sein said he would accept the election result. | Current President Thein Sein said he would accept the election result. |
| At the scene: Jonathan Head, BBC News, Yangon | At the scene: Jonathan Head, BBC News, Yangon |
| I watched people lining up in the dark long before the polling station opened in the Kyi Myin Daing neighbourhood, which straddles the Yangon River. | I watched people lining up in the dark long before the polling station opened in the Kyi Myin Daing neighbourhood, which straddles the Yangon River. |
| As the sky brightened, the queue stretched to the end of this crowded street and around the corner. There were people of all ages: young women in jeans and T-shirts, older men and women in more traditional Burmese longyis, all clutching their pink national identity cards and white voter registration documents. | As the sky brightened, the queue stretched to the end of this crowded street and around the corner. There were people of all ages: young women in jeans and T-shirts, older men and women in more traditional Burmese longyis, all clutching their pink national identity cards and white voter registration documents. |
| The one thing nearly all of them have in common is that they have never before had the opportunity to elect a new government. | The one thing nearly all of them have in common is that they have never before had the opportunity to elect a new government. |
| There have been reports of irregularities, intimidation and people being left off official voter lists, but, at this polling station, we saw no problems, with officials calmly explaining the procedure for filling out ballot papers and placing them in the sealed boxes. | There have been reports of irregularities, intimidation and people being left off official voter lists, but, at this polling station, we saw no problems, with officials calmly explaining the procedure for filling out ballot papers and placing them in the sealed boxes. |
| Here voting took place in a temporary marquee erected between run-down old apartment blocks. Several young men helped lift an older man in his wheelchair inside to vote. | Here voting took place in a temporary marquee erected between run-down old apartment blocks. Several young men helped lift an older man in his wheelchair inside to vote. |
| Everyone we spoke to expressed their happiness about this historic moment, and their hope that it would help make theirs a better country. | Everyone we spoke to expressed their happiness about this historic moment, and their hope that it would help make theirs a better country. |
| In pictures: Myanmar votes | In pictures: Myanmar votes |
| Decision-making in the Delta: Jonathan Head on the small but crucial town of Hinthada | Decision-making in the Delta: Jonathan Head on the small but crucial town of Hinthada |
| Aung San Suu Kyi, profiled | |
| 'Abandoned people': What rights do the Rohingya Muslims have? | 'Abandoned people': What rights do the Rohingya Muslims have? |
| Elections explained: Why does this vote matter? | Elections explained: Why does this vote matter? |
| Myanmar vote causes business uncertainty | Myanmar vote causes business uncertainty |
| Hundreds of thousands of people - including minority Rohingya Muslims - have been denied voting rights, raising concerns about the fairness of the poll. | Hundreds of thousands of people - including minority Rohingya Muslims - have been denied voting rights, raising concerns about the fairness of the poll. |
| The BBC's Jonah Fisher in Yangon says there are no reliable opinion polls in the country, so no-one really knows how the vote is going to play out. | The BBC's Jonah Fisher in Yangon says there are no reliable opinion polls in the country, so no-one really knows how the vote is going to play out. |
| Ahead of the vote, security has been stepped up across the country, with some 40,000 police guarding polling stations. | Ahead of the vote, security has been stepped up across the country, with some 40,000 police guarding polling stations. |
| Ruled by the junta for nearly half a century, Myanmar has seen economic and political reform in recent years. | Ruled by the junta for nearly half a century, Myanmar has seen economic and political reform in recent years. |
| Ms Suu Kyi has already raised concerns about poll fraud and voting irregularities. In the 1990 election, the NLD won a majority, but the results were largely ignored by the generals. | Ms Suu Kyi has already raised concerns about poll fraud and voting irregularities. In the 1990 election, the NLD won a majority, but the results were largely ignored by the generals. |
| For its part, the government has warned that rapid change could lead to civil unrest. | For its part, the government has warned that rapid change could lead to civil unrest. |
| Follow BBC reporters in Myanmar on Twitter: | Follow BBC reporters in Myanmar on Twitter: |
| Jonathan Head: "You cannot be dewy-eyed about problems ahead of Myanmar - but the sight of so many proudly exercising their right to vote is very moving" | |
| Jonah Fisher: "Plenty can happen at the counts of course - and then massive uncertainty over what happens next" | |
| James Menendez, at polling station in Yangon: "Rows of officials wilting in the heat but no voters right now" | |
| Fergal Keane: "ASSK has voted amid chaotic media scramble" |