The start of Papua New Guinea's national elections has been marred by violence after fighting broke out amongst voters in the volatile highlands region.

Armed soldiers and police have been sent to parts of Hela province to try to maintain order at polling stations, where thousands of people have gathered to cast their vote in the two-week-long election.

In Purani village, a remote part of Hela province, dozens of people crowded around a polling booth until a PNG Defence Force soldier grabbed a stick and whacked them out of the way.

A man marshals voters with a stick at Purani village. ( ABC News: Eric Tlozek )

With order restored, voters formed a semblance of a queue and voted in the hope of electing leaders who will provide much-needed services.



Voter Michael Hawaka arrived to vote in traditional Huli wigman costume. ( ABC News: Eric Tlozek )

This was supposed to be a secret ballot, but voting papers at many booths were being filled out in full view of scrutineers and supporters.

A man has his ballot marked for him by an official at a polling booth in Purani village. ( ABC News: Eric Tlozek )

At one booth in Tani village, also in Hela province, polling turned to chaos when rival clans started fighting and the ballot box was stolen.

Polling officials report the theft of ballot boxes to soldiers and police in Tani village. ( ABC News: Eric Tlozek )

Police and soldiers were called and the box was recovered, but police sergeant Bill Kari said the votes would no longer count.

"They tampered and destroyed both boxes so we cannot do anything, we cannot accept them, by law," he said.

A polling official and police with the recovered ballot box in Tani village, Hela province. ( ABC News: Eric Tlozek )

The voting in Hela Province coincided with scheduled voting in Port Moresby.

Polling there was aborted, however, after election workers went on strike and police arrested the Port Moresby election manager after they found $75,000 in cash in his car.

Police also arrested two officials for trying to smuggle ballot boxes out of election headquarters.

The incidents have led some candidates to call for the resignation of the Electoral Commissioner and for an independent authority to take over the remainder of the election.