NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) – The Latest on the presidential election in Cyprus (all times local):
8:20 p.m.
The president of Cyprus has finished first in his race for re-election, but faces a runoff with a communist-backed candidate.
Cyprus’ President and Cypriot Presidential candidate Nicos Anastasiades with his grandchildren votes during the presidential elections in the southern coastal city of Limassol, Cyprus, on Sunday, Jan. 28, 2018. Cypriots are voting for a new president they hope will overcome years of failure to resolve the island-nation’s ethnic division and deliver more benefits from an economy on the rebound after a severe financial crisis. (AP Photo/Pavlos Vrionides)
A final tally of ballots from Sunday’s election showed President Nicos Anastasiades garnering 35.5 percent of the vote. Stavros Malas, who ran as an independent with the support of the communist-rooted AKEL party, finished second with 30.25 percent.
Nicholas Papadopoulos, the leader of the center-right DIKO party and son of the late former President Tassos Papadopoulos, trailed in third place with 25.74 percent.
The result means that Anastasiades and Malas will go head-to-head on Feb. 4. The two men also faced each other in the 2013 presidential election, which Anastasiades went on to win by one of the widest margins in Cypriot election history.
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6:25 p.m.
A presidential election exit poll by Cyprus’ state broadcaster shows incumbent President Nicos Anastasiades facing a runoff with independent candidate Stavros Malas, who’s backed by the communist AKEL party.
The exit poll released by broadcaster RIK when voting ended Sunday showed Anastasiades leading with 38 percent to 42 percent of the vote, followed by Malas with 27-31 percent.
Nicholas Papadopoulos, leader of the center-right DIKO party and son of Cyprus’ late President Tassos Papadopoulos, trailed in third place with 21.5 percent to 24.5 percent.
Candidates needed a majority of the votes cast to avoid a runoff election on Feb. 4.
Malas has criticized Anastasiades for not reaching a deal with the leader of Cyprus’ breakaway Turkish Cypriots to reunify the ethnically split island.
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8:25 a.m.
Cypriots are voting for a new president they hope will overcome years of failure to resolve the island-nation’s ethnic division and deliver more benefits from an economy on the rebound after a severe financial crisis.
Polls opened Sunday with the approximately 551,000 eligible voters starting to cast their ballots for the young republic’s eighth president at over 1,100 polling booths.
Opinion polls show incumbent President Nicos Anastasiades leading his two main rivals, but he may not receive more than half of votes cast to avoid a runoff in a week’s time.
Anastasiades could face in the Feb. 4 runoff either Stavros Malas, who’s backed by the communist AKEL party, or Nicholas Papadopoulos, leader of the center-right DIKO party and the son of the late former President Tassos Papadopoulos.
Cypriot Presidential candidate and leader of the center-right DIKO party Nicolas Papadopoulos escorted by his family votes in presidential elections in capital Nicosia, on Sunday, Jan. 28, 2018. Cypriots are voting for a new president they hope will overcome years of failure to resolve the island-nation’s ethnic division and deliver more benefits from an economy on the rebound after a severe financial crisis. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)
Cypriot Presidential candidate Stavros Malas, who is backed by the left-wing AKEL party, votes during the presidential elections in Nicosia, on Sunday, Jan. 28, 2018. Cypriots are voting for a new president they hope will overcome years of failure to resolve the island-nation’s ethnic division and deliver more benefits from an economy on the rebound after a severe financial crisis. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)
Cyprus’ President and Cypriot Presidential candidate Nicos Anastasiades waves to the crowd outside a polling station during the presidential elections in the southern coastal city of Limassol, Cyprus, on Sunday, Jan. 28, 2018. Cypriots were voting Sunday for a new president who they hope will overcome years of failure and finally resolve the ethnic divisions that have torn the Mediterranean island-nation into a Greek south and a Turkish north. (AP Photo/Pavlos Vrionides)
Cyprus’ President and Cypriot Presidential candidate Nicos Anastasiades makes statements outside a polling station during the presidential elections in the southern coastal city of Limassol, Cyprus, on Sunday, Jan. 28, 2018. Cypriots are voting for a new president they hope will overcome years of failure to resolve the island-nation’s ethnic division and deliver more benefits from an economy on the rebound after a severe financial crisis. (AP Photo/Pavlos Vrionides)
An elderly woman casts her ballot during the presidential elections in Nicosia, on Sunday, Jan. 28, 2018. Cypriots are voting for a new president they hope will overcome years of failure to resolve the island-nation’s ethnic division and deliver more benefits from an economy on the rebound after a severe financial crisis. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)
A woman casts her ballot during the presidential elections in Nicosia, on Sunday, Jan. 28, 2018. Cypriots are voting for a new president they hope will overcome years of failure to resolve the island-nation’s ethnic division and deliver more benefits from an economy on the rebound after a severe financial crisis. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)
A man prepares to vote in presidential election at a polling station in Nicosia, Cyprus Sunday, Jan. 28, 2018. Cypriots are voting for a new president they hope will overcome years of failure to resolve the island-nation’s ethnic division and deliver more benefits from an economy on the rebound after a severe financial crisis. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)
A man checks his ID number for vote in presidential election at a polling station in Nicosia, Cyprus Sunday, Jan. 28, 2018. Cypriots are voting for a new president they hope will overcome years of failure to resolve the island-nation’s ethnic division and deliver more benefits from an economy on the rebound after a severe financial crisis. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)
A woman leaves the booth as she votes in presidential elections in Nicosia, on Sunday, Jan. 28, 2018. Cypriots are voting for a new president they hope will overcome years of failure to resolve the island-nation’s ethnic division and deliver more benefits from an economy on the rebound after a severe financial crisis. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)
A police officer stands guards outside a polling station during a presidential election in Nicosia, Cyprus Sunday, Jan. 28, 2018. Cypriots are voting for a new president they hope will overcome years of failure to resolve the island-nation’s ethnic division and deliver more benefits from an economy on the rebound after a severe financial crisis. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)
A woman votes during the presidential elections in Nicosia, on Sunday, Jan. 28, 2018. Cypriots are voting for a new president they hope will overcome years of failure to resolve the island-nation’s ethnic division and deliver more benefits from an economy on the rebound after a severe financial crisis. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)
Cypriot Presidential candidate and leader of the center-right DIKO party Nicolas Papadopoulos escorted by his family votes in presidential elections in capital Nicosia, on Sunday, Jan. 28, 2018. Cypriots are voting for a new president they hope will overcome years of failure to resolve the island-nation’s ethnic division and deliver more benefits from an economy on the rebound after a severe financial crisis. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)
Cyprus’ President and Cypriot Presidential candidate Nicos Anastasiades with his grandchildren votes during the presidential elections in the southern coastal city of Limassol, Cyprus, on Sunday, Jan. 28, 2018. Cypriots are voting for a new president they hope will overcome years of failure to resolve the island-nation’s ethnic division and deliver more benefits from an economy on the rebound after a severe financial crisis. (AP Photo/Pavlos Vrionides)
Cyprus’ President and Cypriot Presidential candidate Nicos Anastasiades arrives to vote during the presidential elections in the southern coastal city of Limassol, Cyprus, on Sunday, Jan. 28, 2018. Cypriots are voting for a new president they hope will overcome years of failure to resolve the island-nation’s ethnic division and deliver more benefits from an economy on the rebound after a severe financial crisis. (AP Photo/Pavlos Vrionides)
Cyprus’ President and Cypriot Presidential candidate Nicos Anastasiades surrounded by media arrives to vote during the presidential elections in the southern coastal city of Limassol, Cyprus, on Sunday, Jan. 28, 2018. Cypriots are voting for a new president they hope will overcome years of failure to resolve the island-nation’s ethnic division and deliver more benefits from an economy on the rebound after a severe financial crisis. (AP Photo/Pavlos Vrionides)
A woman with her child casts her ballot for presidential elections at a polling station in capital Nicosia, Cyprus, on Sunday, Jan. 28, 2018. Cypriots will vote in presidential elections with critical topics including the reunification of the divided island and economic recovery. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)
A woman with her child casts her ballot for presidential elections at a polling station in capital Nicosia, Cyprus, on Sunday, Jan. 28, 2018. Cypriots will vote in presidential elections with critical topics including the reunification of the divided island and economic recovery. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)
An elderly man casts his ballot during the presidential elections in the southern coastal city of Limassol, Cyprus, on Sunday, Jan. 28, 2018. Cypriots were voting Sunday for a new president who they hope will overcome years of failure and finally resolve the ethnic divisions that have torn the Mediterranean island-nation into a Greek south and a Turkish north. (AP Photo/Pavlos Vrionides)
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