Lithuanians voted Sunday in a run-off election that pits the Baltic country's popular president against an ex-Premier and stunt pilot.
The country's 2,015 polling stations opened their doors to the 2.7 million registered voters at 7:00 am (local time) and were to close 13 hours later at 8:00 pm (local time) with preliminary results expected a few hours later.
Incumbent Valdas Adamkus was expected to easily win a second term in the presidential vote, given his success in guiding the ex-Soviet republic toward entry into NATO and the European Union (EU).
Sunday's run-off election was called after Adamkus failed to get 50% support in a first round of voting last month. He faces the second vote-getter in the earlier vote, former prime minister and Vilnius mayor Rolandas Paksas.
Nearly 2.7 million of Lithuania's residents are eligible to vote in the presidential election. It is the third time voters have elected a president since the country regained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, according to AP.
The new president is expected to take office at the end of February. (Albawaba.com)
© 2003 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
