The New Nation - Internet Edition

Agencies, Buenos Aires

Argentina will go to the polls to elect a new president Sunday, with first lady and senator Cristina Fernandez the favourite.

Argentines will have a choice between 13 candidates. Senator Fernandez, wife of outgoing President Nestor Kirchner, is expected to top 40 percent according to opinion polls, while her closest rivals, led by Christian Liberal Elisa Carrio, will struggle to reach 20 percent.

To avoid a run-off, the centre-left Fernandez must get at least 45 percent of the vote, or 40 percent with a lead of more than 10 percentage points above the second-place finisher. Polls will be open for 27 million voters from 11.00-21.00 GMT Sunday. In theory, no exit polls are allowed to be made public before the first official results are made known, but Argentine media have a history of violating this embargo. Preliminary official results are expected early Monday