Guinea-Bissau's voters began to cast their ballots on Sunday to choose a new president following the assassination of the long serving leader, Joao Bernardo Vieira, in early March.

A total of 593 782 eligible voters of the West African nation's 1.4 million population went to the 2,684 polling stations, which were opened at 7:00 a.m. (0700 GMT) and set to close at 5:00 p.m. (1700 GMT).

There are 11 candidates running for the presidency including the front runner, Malam Bacai Sanha of the ruling Independence of Guinea- Bissau and Cape Verde (PAIGC).

Sanha, 62, was president of the National Assembly from 1994 to 1999. He acted as president of the 1999-2000 transitional period. He ran twice for the presidency, but lost to his rival Kumba Yala in 1999 and Vieira in 2005 respectively.

His PAIGC, the traditionally dominant party, won the legislative elections in November, scoring 67 of the 100 seats in the National Assembly (parliament).

Another favorite is Yala, 56, the leader of the Party of Social Renovation (PRS). He was president between 2000 and 2003. His PRS took the second place in the legislative elections in November, winning 28 seats.

Henrique Rosa, an independent candidate with strong support of civil society and a high-profile political background. Between September 2003 and October 2005, he acted as interim president of Guinea-Bissau, with a mandate to organize the legislative elections in 2004, and then the presidential election in 2005.

Francisca Vaz Turpin of the Party of Guinean Patriotic Union is the only woman to contend in the presidential election.

(Xinhua News Agency June 28, 2009)