ASTANA, Dec. 4 (Xinhuanet) -- Kazakh voters went to the polls on Sunday in the country's presidential election with many expecting President Nursultan Nazarbayev to win re-election.

    Voting was to close at 8 p.m. (1400 GMT in the east and 15 GMT in the west). Some 8.6 million voters have been registered and about 1,600 observers are expected to monitor the election.

    Nazarbayev, 65, who has been the country's president since 1991shortly after the disintegration of the former Soviet Union, took the lead in the latest opinion polls.

    A poll released Saturday by the US-based Intermedia Survey Institute showed that Nazarbayev was getting 71 percent support, with none of his challengers getting more than 2 percent. The pollof 1,645 people conducted on Nov. 7-28 had a 2.42 perdent margin of error.

    Kazakhstan's comparative prosperity is Nazarbayev's strong suit,but critics say he has held up democratic reforms and allows corruption to flourish.

    Nazarbayev pledges, if re-elected, to allow democratic changes and consolidate economic achievements, paying more attention to the social sector.

    His main rival is 57-year-old Zharmakhan Tuyakbai, leader of the For a Fair Kazakhstan alliance. As a former prosecutor generaland parliament speaker, Tuyakbai joined the opposition last year.

    Tuyakbai's campaign centers on attacks on Nazarbayev, whom he accused of authoritarianism, allowing institutionalized corruptionand enriching himself and his family at the country's expense.

    Tuyakbai promises to curb corruption, democratic reforms, reduction of poverty and make fairer distribution of energy revenues.

    The other three challengers are Alikhan Baimenov of the Ak Zholparty, Mels Yeleusizov of the environmentalist Tabigat, and ErasylAbilkasymov of the People's Communist Party.

    Baimenov, 46, who had served as social and labor minister, is running on a platform of promoting democracy and fighting corruption.

    Yeleusizov, 55, is an environmental activist and says he is running only to promote that cause.

    Abilkasymov, 57, a medical doctor, a former researcher and headof medical centers, is running on nationalist and communist issues.

    Under Nazarbayev's rule, Kazakhstan, with a population of 15 million, has gained eye-catching achievements in economy and social affairs.

    Over the past seven years, Kazakhstan's economy has grown by some 75 percent, and the annual per capita gross domestic product has risen from 700 US dollars to 3,000 dollars in the past 10 years.

    It has transformed from a laggard in the ex-Soviet into one of the most prosperous and stable countries in the region, as well asan oil giant in the world.

    In foreign affairs, Nazarbayev has maintained good relations with the Unites States, the European Union and Kazakhstan's two neighbors, Russia and China. This has provided a fine external environment for the country's domestic reforms and development.

    First exit poll results are expected around midnight. The election committee plans to announce the first results at 10 a.m. (0400 GMT in the east and 0500 GMT in the west) Monday.

    According to the country's election law, a runoff will be held if no candidate gets more than 50 percent of the votes in the first round. Enditem