Armenians started to cast votes in the presidential election Tuesday morning, in which nine candidates are vying to replace President Robert Kocharian, who is currently serving his second and final five-year term.

A polling station at No. 24 middle school on the Paronyan Street in downtown Yerevan opened at 8 a.m. local time (0400 GMT) as scheduled, and voters trickled in to cast ballots. The polling stations will close at 8 p.m. local time (1600 GMT).

The Central Electoral Commission said there are 2.32 million eligible voters of the approximate 3 million people in the country, who will go to 1,923 polling stations in 41 electoral districts scattered around the mountainous country.

According to the Armenian election law, citizens living abroad do not have the right to take part in the election.

The CEC will release preliminary results within 24 hours of polls closing, and final results will be announced within seven days of election day.

(Xinhua News Agency February 19, 2008)