PARIS, April 22 (Xinhua) -- Voter turnout in the first round of France's presidential election may well be a new record high, pollsters estimated on Sunday.

    As many as 86.5 percent of the voters have already cast their ballots by 6:35 p.m. (1735 GMT) on Sunday, according to estimates of TNS SOFRES.

    The rate has already surpassed the turnout rate in 1965, the highest in history.

    IPSOS/DELL put the rate at 84 percent by 6:30 p.m., close to the 1965 rate of 84.6 percent.

    Voters are more enthusiastic this year partly because they want to prevent far right leader Jean-Marie Le Pen from entering the second round as he did in 2002.