Millions of Indonesians queued up outside voting booths on Wednesday to elect the next of the world's third largest democracy as faces off against longtime rival and former

Some 192.8 million people are eligible to vote across the archipelago's 17,000 islands in what is the world's biggest direct

Widodo, popularly known as Jokowi, cast his vote in shortly after Subianto cast his in a polling station in Bogor, news reported.

After he left the polling station in the central district of Gambir, Widodo told the media that he was optimistic about the results as he and his party had worked for the people.

Widodo was leading by an average of 20 points in pre-poll surveys, although according to some analysts undecided and possible errors in polling may influence the final outcome.

The General Elections Commission of (KPU) expected a 77.5 per cent turnout and the government declared Wednesday a to ensure that there were no obstacles to voting.

In addition to electing the and Vice President, will also elect members of 575 seats of the lower house, 136 of the upper house, and representatives to the provincial and municipal legislative chambers.

Indonesian elections are one of the most complex in the world, as more than 190 million are called to vote at 800,000 polling stations to elect from 245,000 candidates for 20,000 posts in a single day.

Another two million Indonesians living abroad will cast their votes through postal ballots.

Indonesia, a Muslim-majority country, is one of Southeast Asia's most consolidated democracies, and political analysts find little possibility of any large-scale manipulation during the voting process.

However, Subianto, a few weeks earlier had reported irregularities in the electoral lists and threatened to approach the unless they were addressed. </s> Indonesia's Joko Widodo was on track to be re-elected as president of the world's third-biggest democracy Wednesday with pollsters giving him a wide lead over rival Prabowo Subianto, an ex-general.

Based on data collected at polling stations, Saiful Mujani Research Centre, Indo Barometer and Indikator Politik Indonesia said Widodo was holding a strong lead, although official results are not due until next month.

Saiful Mujani Research Centre said its "quickcount" measure put Widodo at 55.34% against his rival's 44.66%, Indo Barometer said the vote was at 55.36% to 44.64% in Widodo's favor, while Indikator Politik Indonesia put the race at 55.97% to 44.03%.

Voting appeared to go smoothly, though ballots weren't available at two districts in Jayapura, the capital of easternmost Papua province, where angry residents argued with police.

About 193 million people are eligible to vote in polls that will decide who leads the world's most populous Muslim-majority nation and third-largest democracy after India and the U.S.

The presidential race is set to be a rematch between incumbent President "Jokowi" Widodo, 57, from the Indonesian Democratic Party-Struggle (PDI-P) and Subianto, 67, from the Great Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra).

Citizens will also elect members of the House of Representatives, Regional Representative Council and provincial and municipal councils.

Titi Anggraini, executive director of election watchdog the Association for Elections and Democracy (Perludem), said that previously, legislative elections were held first in April, followed by elections for president and vice president in July.

This time, however, voters coming to polling stations received five ballots at once: gray ballots for president and vice president, yellow ballots for the House of Representatives, red for the Regional Representative Council, blue for the Provincial Legislative Council and green for regency/city-level councils.

"It is not excessive to say that the 2019 elections are very monumental and historic elections for Indonesia," Titi told Anadolu Agency.

She said they are monumental because it will be a very large-scale but also historic election as this was something that had never occurred before in the course of Indonesia's electoral democracy.

"Of course, all parties want to be a part of this monumental and historic event," she added.

Known for his business in the furnishings sector, Widodo is from the Solo region on the island of Java.

Widodo's vice presidential candidate and one of the country's leading religious leaders, 76-year-old Ma'ruf Amin, was the chairman of the country's top clerical body, the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI).

Subianto, on the other hand, is a member of an elite family in the natural resources business. He used to be a general in the Indonesian Special Forces before entering politics in 2004 in the Golkar Party. He later founded Gerindra.

Both candidates first ran against each other in the 2014 presidential election, when Subianto lost by 6 percentage points to Widodo.

Opinion polls have consistently given a large lead of as much as 20 percentage points to Widodo, though analysts say the race is likely tighter. </s> Indonesia goes to the polls today in what will be the world's biggest direct presidential election.

Some 193 million voters will elect more than 20,000 parliamentary and legislative members in national and local-level positions contested by more than 245,000 candidates.

But it's the battle for the presidency which will have the world's attention with the President Joko Widodo facing off against his old enemy and former army general Prabowo Subianto. </s> Voters will decide between President Joko Widodo and former general Prabowo Subianto, and choose more than 20,000 legislators

This article is more than 4 months old

This article is more than 4 months old

Tens of millions of Indonesians have started voting for a new president and more than 20,000 legislative seats in the nation’s biggest – and one of the world’s most complicated – ballots.

In the world’s third-largest democracy and largest Muslim-majority nation, almost 193 million Indonesians are registered to vote across 17,000 islands. On Wednesday morning voting kicked off at 7am local time in restive Papua. It will end at 1pm in Sumatra.

Voters are flocking to more than 800,000 polling stations where they will punch holes in ballots – to make clear their candidate choice – and then dip a finger in halal ink, a measure to prevent double-voting.

Indonesia: 193m people, 17,000 islands, one big election. Here's what you need to know Read more

It is the first time Indonesia is holding simultaneous presidential and parliamentary elections – a hugely complex logistical undertaking – but it is the presidential race that has consumed much of the nation’s focus.

President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, a former mayor and furniture salesman from central Java, is up against the fiery nationalist and former army general Prabowo Subianto.

Prabowo, the former son-in-law of Indonesia’s longtime ruler Suharto, is running with Sandiaga Uno, a former private equity manager, while the president controversially chose Ma’ruf Amin, 76, a conservative Islamic leader, as his vice-presidential running mate.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Indonesian election workers carry ballot boxes as they cross a river to deliver them to remote villages in Maros, South Sulawesi. Photograph: Daeng Mansur/EPA

In an election campaign that has been marred by fake news, identity politics and attempts by the candidates to outdo each other in displays of religiosity, Jokowi has for months maintained a double-digit lead over his opponent – if the the country’s most credible polls are to be believed.

“I’m excited, we only get to do this once every five years,” said Neneng Kursiah, 37, after completing her ballot at a Jakarta polling booth.

“We are for Prabowo in this area, we think he will bring prices of staple foods down and work hard,” said Firman, 42, a voter in Jakarta’s south, chimed in, “But if people want to vote for someone else that’s okay too.”

“Should be tight, maybe 50-50 said Bambang Sukanto, a local council worker at a different voting station, “So we are going to watch and make see.”

Contemplating whether one of the only true remaining democracies in south-east Asia could be prone to a political upset akin to Brexit, Trump or Duterte, analysts predict Indonesia is likely to buck global trends.

“I think Indonesia was ahead of the curve in that aspect of democracy because the anti-establishment outsider, Joko Widodo, won in 2014 already,” says an Indonesia analyst, Kevin O’Rourke. “Ironically, the incumbent is the outsider in this race, meanwhile Prabowo Subianto is not the outsider, or anti-establishment figure, he is a quintessential member of the elite.”

Jokowi’s 2014 win against Prabowo was hailed as a victory for Indonesia’s young democracy – the first time a figure untethered to the military or political elite had been elected head of state.

'Don't teach me democracy!': an uneasy audience with Indonesia's Prabowo Read more

As president, Jokowi has impressed voters with his commitment to building infrastructure and social welfare, but has drawn criticism for failing to address past human rights abuses and chronic corruption, and most recently for leveraging the state apparatus, including law enforcement agencies and Islamic groups, to solidify his support base.

Ayu Dyah Widarti, a volunteer for Jokowi, has spent her morning riding around on her bicycle, checking on the voting process at various polls in Jakarta’s south.

“People are enthusiastic, smiling, and it’s been smooth,” she says.

Ayu says she is strong supporter of the incumbent. “He has a vision, he in sincere, he works hard, hard, hard. He has high integrity and is honest. And he doesn’t have a problematic background, or any baggage,” she says,

“There is already evidence of his leadership, from when he was Solo mayor, Jakarta governor and also a president. He has built a lot of infrastructure and not just for Jakarta, but all over Indonesia, for all Indonesians.”

Some voters, disillusioned with the president and also the alternative, a former special forces commander accused of various human rights abuses, have vowed to “golput”, or abstain, in protest.

In the weeks leading up to Wednesday’s vote, the opposition has claimed the integrity of the electoral list is undermined by the existence of millions of “ghost” voters – a move some analysts believe indicates they are laying the groundwork for a legal challenge if they lose.

There have been other hiccups, too. A video that circulated last week allegedly showed bags of ballot papers found in Malaysia that were pre-marked for Jokowi. There is also concern about rampant vote buying and the inundation of overseas polling stations in recent days, which have reportedly prevented hundreds from voting, have generated concern.

Indonesia’s electoral commission has pledged to investigate, and Wednesday’s election, a government-mandated national holiday, is expected to proceed peacefully and under the watchful eye of voters, thousands of whom plan to monitor the open-air count after the polls close.

The polls present a huge logistical challenge in a country stretching 4,800km across more than 17,000 islands, with a population of more than 260 million, home to hundreds of ethnic groups and languages.

Officials are moving cardboard ballot boxes by motorbikes, boats and planes – as well as elephants and horses – to reach mountaintop villages and communities deep in the jungle.

A series of so-called “quick counts” are expected to give a reliable indication of the presidential winner later on Wednesday. Official results are not expected until May. </s> More than 270 election workers in Indonesia have died, most of them of fatigue-related illnesses caused by long hours spent counting millions of ballot papers by hand, BBC reported on Sunday. Arief Priyo Susanto, the spokesperson of the General Elections Commission, or the KPU, said 1,878 employees had fallen ill.

The poll body had employed close to seven million people to count and monitor the world’s biggest single-day elections. The polls were the first time the country of 260 million people combined the presidential vote with national and regional parliamentary elections in order to save money.

Voting was largely peaceful as 80% of the country’s 193 million voters exercised their franchise, Reuters reported. Voters in over 8,00,000 polling stations had to punch up to five ballot papers. However, an official who worked for Opposition presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto blamed the elections commission for failing to manage the workload of its staff.

Prabowo, according to independent pollsters doing a quick count, has lost the elections to Joko Widodo. The Opposition candidate has alleged widespread cheating and his campaign has claimed some officials even punched ballots in Widodo’s favour. Indonesia’s security minister has called the allegations baseless.

The election body will conclude vote counting and announce winners of the presidential and parliamentary elections on May 22. </s> Image copyright Getty Images Image caption The Indonesian election was one of the world's biggest one-day ballots

More than 270 election workers in Indonesia have died, mostly of fatigue-related illnesses caused by long hours of work counting millions of ballot papers by hand, an official says.

Arief Priyo Susanto, spokesman of the General Elections Commission (KPU), said 1,878 other staff had fallen ill.

Some seven million people were helping count and monitor the 17 April vote.

Staff were expected to work through the night in sweltering conditions, which took a hefty physical toll on many.

The elections were the first time the country of 260 million people combined the presidential vote with national and regional parliamentary ballots, in order to save money.

Around 80% of the 193 million eligible voters cast their votes in more than 800,000 polling stations.

But the huge numbers have apparently taken their toll on temporary election staff, who unlike civil servants, do not undergo a medical examination before starting work.

The KPU spokesman said 272 election workers had died from overwork-related illnesses.

Indonesia's election commission plans to compensate surviving families 36 million rupiah (£1,930; $2,500) for every deceased worker - roughly equivalent to one year's pay at minimum wage, according to the Nikkei Asian Review.

Critics say the government was not prudent for combining the elections and creating unrealistic expectations of temporary staff.

Both President Joko Widodo and opposition presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto have declared victory, though quick counts suggested Mr Widodo won the election by around 9-10 percentage points.

The KPU will finish vote counting and announce winners of the presidential and parliamentary elections on 22 May. </s> Millions of Indonesians queued up outside voting booths peacefully on Wednesday to elect the next president of the world's third largest democracy.

The top two contenders for the post are current President Joko Widodo and former army general Prabowo Subianto. </s> Image copyright AFP/Getty Image caption Women voting in Batroun, to the north of Beirut

Lebanon has held parliamentary elections for the first time in almost a decade.

The last elections in the country were in 2009, for what was supposed to be a four-year term.

But parliament extended its term twice due to instability in neighbouring Syria, and to reform the country's electoral laws.

It changed the voting system, reduced the number of districts, and allowed expatriate voting for the first time.

Hezbollah, the armed group considered a terrorist organisation by the United States and others, is seeking to increase its parliamentary representation.

Voting for all 128 seats was supposed to close at 19:00 local time (16:00 GMT), however it was extended by an hour at some polling stations.

Turnout was 49.2%, compared to 54% in 2009, Interior Minister Nohad Machnouk said.

Official results are not expected until Monday or Tuesday.

Image copyright AFP/Getty Image caption Voters in the northern city of Tripoli cast their ballots

Tens of thousands of Lebanese citizens living aboard already cast their votes earlier this week - the first time such expatriate voting has been allowed.

The change is down to the new electoral system being used.

It reduces the number of districts, and uses a list-based proportional system for voting, with seats distributed among the various Christian and Islamic groups.

Lebanon has long had a power-sharing political system between the different religious denominations. The number of seats in parliament is split between Christians and Muslims, and the president, prime minister, and speaker of the parliament must each come from a specific religious background.

Current Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri caused a significant political crisis in November, when he fled the country for Saudi Arabia, announcing his resignation in a televised address in which he said he feared an assassination attempt.

Image copyright Reuters Image caption Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri shows his ink-stained finger

He "suspended" his own resignation two weeks later after speaking to President Michel Aoun back in Lebanon, and withdrew his decision entirely in December.

The European Union said it had deployed election observers to all of Lebanon's voting districts.

Major issues facing the newly-elected parliament include the fate of a large number of refugees who have entered the country since the outbreak of the Syrian civil war, and continuing economic difficulties. </s> JAKARTA: At least 270 election staff have died in Indonesia, mostly of fatigue-related illnesses caused by long hours of work counting millions of ballot papers by hand. International media, citing officials, reported.

As per report, some seven million people were helping count and monitor the 17 April vote. They were expected to work through the night in sweltering conditions, which took a hefty physical toll on many.

The KPU spokesman was reported to have said that 272 election workers had died from overwork-related illnesses. According to spokesman of the General Elections Commission (KPU), 1,878 other staff had fallen ill.



The elections were the first time the country of 260 million people combined the presidential vote with national and regional parliamentary ballots, in order to save money. Around 80% of the 193 million eligible voters cast their votes in more than 800,000 polling stations.



But the huge numbers have apparently taken their toll on temporary election staff, who unlike civil servants, do not undergo a medical examination before starting work.



Indonesia's election commission plans to compensate surviving families 36 million rupiah (£1,930; $2,500) for every deceased worker - roughly equivalent to one year's pay at minimum wage, according to the Nikkei Asian Review.



CBoth President Joko Widodo and opposition presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto have declared victory, though quick counts suggested Mr Widodo won the election by around 9-10 percentage points.

The KPU will finish vote counting and announce winners of the presidential and parliamentary elections on 22 May.
Voters in Indonesia go to the polls to elect members of the parliament, the President and Vice President.