All Presidential Hopefuls Vote in Uzbekistan Election

All four candidates running for Uzbekistan’s presidency voted early Sunday in an election that will bring to power a new leader after the death of the Central Asian nation’s long-time President Islam Karimov.

TASHKENT (Sputnik) — Polling stations opened at 6 a.m. (1:00GMT) and will close at 8 p.m. More than a quarter of eligible Uzbek voters, or 5.2 million, have cast their ballots two hours into the election, the central election commission said.

Acting President Shavkat Mirziyoyev is a frontrunner. Deputy Parliament Speaker Hotamzhon Ketmonov from the People's Democratic Party, Sarwar Otamuratov from the National Revival Democratic Party, and Justice Social Democratic Party leader Narimon Umarov are also running.

The results of the vote are expected early on Monday. If no candidate wins a majority of votes a runoff will be held within two weeks.

Karimov has ruled the former Soviet republic since the collapse of the Soviet Union a quarter of a century ago. Uzbekistan’s first president passed away at the age of 78 after suffering a stroke in September of this year.