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Australian Prime Minister John Howard prepares to put his vote in the ballet box in the Sydney suburb of Putney October 9, 2004. (Photo: Xinhua/Reuters)

Opposition Labor party leader Mark Latham casts his vote at the Ingleburn public school in Sydney's West during the Federal election Saturday, Oct. 9, 2004.  (Photo: Xinhua/Reuters)

¡¡ CANBERRA, Oct. 9 (Xinhuanet) -- Australia goes to poll Saturday asleaders cast their votes for the 2004 federal election.

    Prime Minister John Howard cast his vote at Putney Public School in his Sydney seat of Bennelong and Opposition Leader Mark Latham cast his vote at Ingleburn Public School in his south-western Sydney seat of Werriwa.

    Howard asked voters to re-elect the ruling coalition. "It's certainly not an occasion for anyone to think that they can give us a protest kick and still re-elect us," he said, adding "If enough people do that, we'll lose."

    A number of protesters chanted "liar, liar" as he cast his vote.

    Latham said as he arrived at the school he is feeling confidentand his party has run a positive campaign.

    "We'll be seeking the support of the Australian people today, particularly for a world-class health and education system, and taking the financial pressure of families," he told reporters.

    Greens leader Bob Brown cast his vote at Town Hall of Hobart, capital of the country's island state of Tasmania, which went to polls an hour earlier than other states and territories because ofdaylight saving.

    "We are looking forward to the numbers going up and Tasmania being the first horse away this evening as the results come in," Brown said.

    Australian Democrats leader Andrew Bartlett said his party could win zero to five seats in the Senate as he cast his vote in Brisbane, capital of the state of Queensland.

    Xinhua correspondents saw polling in the capital territory of Canberra going smoothly on Saturday morning.

    Campaign workers for different parties were seen distributing leaflets and literature to voters in a distance from polling places.

    Most of the voters Xinhua talked to said they had voted for theAustralian Labor Party.

    More than 13 million eligible voters are due to cast their votes at 7,700 polling booths nationwide.

    A total of 1,091 candidates are standing for all 150 seats in the House of Representatives and 330 candidates for half of the 76seats in the Senate.

    The party or coalition which wins more than half of the seats in the House of Representatives will form the new government.

    The voting trend is expected to be clear on late Saturday unless the election is too close to know the result.

    Two latest opinion polls published on newspapers Saturday are at odds on who will win the election.

    The Newspoll showed that each of the ruling coalition and Australian Labor Party won 50 percent of support on a two-party-preferred basis.

    But in the ACNielsen poll, the coalition had a lead of 54 percent to 46 percent on a two-party-preferred basis. Enditem