Port-au-Prince.– Haitian President Rene Preval could see his economic projects and constitutional reform emerge as big winners in the long-delayed Senate elections finally being held Sunday.

The balloting took place amid fears of unrest and violence: Security forces, including 9,000 U.N. peacekeepers, braced for protests by supporters of former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide's still-popular Fanmi Lavalas party.

Haiti's provisional electoral council disqualified all candidates from the Lavalas party and party backers have threatened to disrupt voting.

Morning voting was mostly quiet, with polling stations opening to empty streets and only a trickle of voters.

"One or two people might vote today, but there won't be full participation," said voter Fritznor Pierre, 25, amid a small group of young men who shouted "Lavalas is the people!" and called for the return of the exiled Aristide.

"If Lavalas was in it, the whole area would be voting," Pierre said. Police banned vehicles and shut down public transportation to keep order in a place where election day has long been associated with violence and intimidation.

A total of 79 candidates are vying for 12 Senate seats. With races involving five to 18 candidates each, most are expected to end in run-offs between the top two vote-getters.