Belarussian voters started to cast their ballots on Sunday in the country's presidential election.

Polling stations across the country opened at 0600 GMT and will close at 1800 GMT. About 7 million people have registered to vote in the election. Preliminary results are expected late Sunday night or Monday morning.

Four candidates are vying for the country's top job. Incumbent President Alexander Lukashenko, who is seeking re-election to a third term, is facing Alexander Milinkevich, an independent candidate supported by the opposition, Liberal Democratic Party leader Sergei Gaidukevich and Social Democratic Party leader Alexander Kozulin.

A voter turnout of at least 50 percent is required for the election to be valid. To avoid a run-off, a candidate must secure no less than 50 percent of the vote.

The election is being watched by more than 1,200 international observers. The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States have sent the largest groups of election observers.

Source: Xinhua