Many feared that the elections would be delayed, however continued pressure from the international community and the relentless determination on the part of Lebanese citizens, made today possible. The European Union deployed over a hundred observers to monitor the polls. The chief observer Jose Ignacio Salafranca Sanchez-Neyra, said the elections were "a festival of democracy ... Today, the only winner is Lebanon."

19 seats are in theory up for grabs in the capital, but nine candidates on the lists of Saad Hariri son have already been elected by default after rival candidates failed to appear or dropped out. 17 candidates have been automatically elected by default throughout the country, including prominent opposition leader Druze MP Walid Jumblatt and MP Marwan Hamadeh.

Three million people are expected to give their votes in Lebanon's elections, 59 percent Muslims and 41 percent Christians, who will be contesting the parliament's 128 seats to be shared equally by the country's Christian and Muslim communities.

Saad's lists are expected to win the 10 remaining seats in Beirut.

"I know that this election is about my father and that's a huge responsibility," Hariri said at his family's Beirut mansion. "The people are emotional, what you're seeing is a kind of revenge at the ballot box from people who want him to be alive ... The people will have their say today and demonstrate their loyalty to Rafik al-Hariri."

Despite the fact that Michel Aoun is not competing in today's election districts, he urged people to shun the polls, handing out orange stickers that said "boycott the appointments."

Saad responded to Aoun's attempt to deter voters, claiming "those who are against us today do not want a unified country or a unified Beirut." He also dismissed assertions that the pro-Syrian electoral law is assisting his campaign, "The 2000 law was done against my father. It was supposed to be a magic potion to destroy the opposition ... but the magic has turned against the magician," he said.

Hariri, a thirty-five year old father of two, is focusing on the job at hand in the near future. Despite being widely expected to be the next Prime Minister of Lebanon, Hariri is modest in his own expectations, "that's a big question mark and I prefer to keep it a question mark ... I don't have the experience, one has to be honest, but I'm a hardworking person and if it comes to it, one should take up the challenge."

Saad spoke candidly about his agenda, and his plans for Lebanon. First on his list: a new electoral law, followed by reform of the judiciary and the security services to extricate them from the country's political life.

"Since my father's assassination till now it's been like a regime change in Lebanon," Hariri said of the pro-Syrian security and political heads that have rolled.

"The security and intelligence services were running the country, but we want to bring democracy back to Lebanon ... If we want the confidence of the international community, we need reform," he added, emphasizing the importance of stimulating the economy and strengthening the private sector.

Hariri also made it clear that corruption needs to be weeded out, "we don't need a security officer who comes in and tells ministers that they can't do this or that unless he gets a commission."

Elections will continue in different parts of the country over the next three Sundays.

Voices on Election Day

"Lebanese have been aching to have this kind of ownership over their government since the end of the war," Amira Solh.

"Why should I vote when the result is already decided?" Abdul-Rahman Itani.

"Things are quiet and very normal ... there are no problems whatsoever," Interior Minister Hassan al-Sabaa.

"We are voting simply because we want change now that Syria is out," Jessy Tabbal.

"I have high hopes today that we will uncover the truth of who planned and carried out the crime against my beloved husband, who in life built this country and in his martyrdom achieved national unity," Nazek Hariri, wife of the slain premier.

"Today is the day of gratitude for the great martyr Rafik Hariri ... Indifference could negatively affect the outcome," Mohammed Rashid Kabbani, the Grand Mufti of the Republic.

"It seems there's an air of expectation although some of the outcome is pretty well assured," U.S. Sen. Joseph Biden.

"The election is a special democratic accomplishment after the developments Lebanon has witnessed since the assassination of Hariri," Prime Minister Najib Mikati.

See Ya Libnan's pictures of today's election.

Sources: Ya Libnan, Al Jazeera, Reuters, Washington Post