Some 11,000 polling stations across Colombia will open between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. local time to allow voting in the first round of the presidential election, in which a successor to President Juan Manuel Santos will be chosen.

Some 36 million Colombians are eligible to vote, according to a March 2018 electoral census. However, just below half or an estimated 15 million to 16 million voters are expected to turn out.

The favorite candidates in the race are right-wing nominee Ivan Duque and leftist Bogota ex-Mayor Gustavo Petro. According to El Pais, Duque is in the lead with 37 percent, approximately 10 points ahead of Petro (27 percent) followed by former Medellin Mayor Sergio Fajardo on 16 percent, former Vice President German Vargas Lleras on 11 percent and attorney Humberto de la Calle on single digit.

For the first time in the country's history, there will be four women up for the vice presidential position: Duque' running mate Marta Lucia Ramirez, Petro's running mate Angela Maria Robledo, Fajardo's running mate Claudia Lopez and de la Calle's running mate Clara Lopez.