Voters are going to elect a new president from among 14 candidates as well as choosing MPs for the 127-seat parliament.
According to some survey results, only two presidential candidates have a real chance of winning: one is former prime minister under Compaore, Roch Marc Kabore, and Zephirin Diabre, a businessman.
According to Burkina Faso Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI), a total of 81 parties will present candidates in the general election – 4,870 men and 2,074 women are running for office.
Burkina Faso’s elections will end the transition established after a popular uprising that ousted former president Blaise Compaore in Oct. 2014.
The general national election is the first since former president Compaore was toppled by protests a year ago after 27 years in power.
Michel Kafando was named last year as interim president to lead the country until elections could be held.
Just under 20,000 polling stations opened at 6.30 a.m. (0630GMT) and are to close at 6.00 p.m. local time.
Alain Jean-Claude Zagre, Burkina Faso’s security minister, said that more than 20,000 troops have also been deployed to maintain security.
