Indonesia opened its polls on Wednesday morning to voters who will be choosing between two presidential candidates: Jakarta governor Joko Widodo (pictured right) and former general Prabowo Subianto (left). The winner needs a simple majority, however results are expected to be close this year, with the Jakarta governor enjoying only a slight lead over his opponent.

Polls opened at 7:00 a.m. local time (2200 UTC Tuesday) in Indonesia's eastern-most time zone and were opened in the remaining two time zones in the hours that followed.

The last presidential elections in 2009 drew 71 percent of the island nation's registered voters. That number jumped to 75 percent for April's parliamentary elections.

According to Indonesia's Electoral Commission, there are 190.3 million registered voters, nearly 30 percent of which are under the age of 30. Eleven percent of registered voters will be allowed to cast ballots for the first time on Wednesday.

Official results are expected to be released between July 21 and 22.

Tighest race since end of dictatorship

Analysts described this year's presidential campaign in Indonesia as the country's most bitterly-fought since the downfall of dictator Suharto in 1998.

"In terms of Indonesia's democratic journey, this is potentially a very important juncture," Tobias Basuki, an analayst from the Jakarta-based Center for Strategic and International Studies, told news agency AFP.

Jakarta governor Joko Widodo had a slight margin over his opponent ahead of polls opening on Wednesday. The 53-year-old politician is backed by a coalition of four parties, which hold 40 percent of the seats in parliament.

While some voters perceive Joko Widodo as a politician who could usher in a new style of leadership, as he has no links to the country's troubled political past, they fear that Prabowo Subianto might do the opposite and push them back toward authoritarian rule. The former general and former son-in-law of ex-Indonesian dictator Suharto has vowed to give the country firm leadership.

A coalition of six parties with nearly 60 percent control of parliament is backing the ex-general.

Indonesia has an ethnically and religiously diverse population. Over 87 percent of the nation's 253.6 million inhabitants are Muslim, while Christians make up roughly 10 percent of the population. The remaining 3 percent are Hindu, Buddhist and Confucian.

kms/lw (AFP, Reuters, dpa)