South Ossetia's former education minister and opposition leader Alla Dzhioyeva leads in Sunday's presidential polls with about more than half of ballots counted, the election commission said on Monday.
In the second round of the vote, the winner is determined by a simple majority.
"Dzhioyeva leads in South Ossetia's presidential elections" Central Election Commission chief Bella Pliyeva said.
Dzhioyeva garnered 8,955 votes, while her opponent Emergency Minister Anatoly Bibilov received 6,205 votes in ballots from 22 polling stations out of 85 around the country.
Over 27,000 people, or more than 72 percent of registered voters, cast their ballots in Sunday's elections.
Incumbent President Eduard Kokoity has served two terms and is barred by the republic's constitution from serving a third consecutive term in office.
Dzhioyeva received 25.44 percent and her opponent secured 25.37 percent of the votes during the first round.
