Kuwaitis turned out in large numbers today for the first election contested by the opposition in nearly four years amid fresh disputes over cuts in subsidies due to falling oil revenues.
According to state-run Kuwait Television, turnout was high as 80 per cent of eligible voters had cast their ballots.
Vote counting started at some centres but final results are not expected before early tomorrow.
Regardless of the outcome of the polls, a prominent member of the Al-Sabah ruling family, in power for the past 250 years, will lead the next government.
Members of the family also always occupy the key posts of foreign, interior and defence ministers.
Around 30 opposition figures, out of 300 candidates, including 14 women, are running for the 50-seat Parliament. Half of the opposition candidates are Islamists.
Kuwait has a population of 4.4 million, but 70 per cent of those are foreigners and only 483,000 people are eligible to vote from among Kuwaitis.