Polls open in high-stakes DR Congo election
Polling stations opened at 6 am (0400 GMT) and will close at 5 pm local time.
Voters still waiting in line at 5 pm will be given tokens and polling booths will stay open until they cast their votes.
The government declared a bank holiday for Wednesday, and as during previous elections, it closed the borders and suspended domestic flights.
Around 44 million Congolese, in a nation of 100 million, are registered to choose their president as well as lawmakers in national and provincial assemblies, and local councillors.
Congolese citizens residing in South Africa, Belgium, the United States and France will also cast ballots.
More than 100,000 candidates are running for various positions, and while counting is set to begin as soon as polling stations close, results are not expected to be announced for several days.
Several observation missions will be watching the voting process, with the largest one run by a union of Catholic and Protestant churches mobilising 25,000 election observers.
