Tunisians are casting their votes in the country’s first presidential election since the 2011 revolution, which sparked a wave of Islamic Awakening in the Middle East and North Africa.

Nearly 5.2 million Tunisians are eligible to vote in 11,000 polling stations from 8:00 a.m. to 18:00 p.m. local time on Sunday.

Preliminary results are expected to be announced by Tuesday.

A record 27 contenders compete in the presidential election. The frontrunners are incumbent President Moncef Marzouki, former Prime Minister Beji Caid Essebsi, whose Nidaa Tounes party won parliamentary elections last month, and veteran leftist Hamma Hammami.

Several cabinet ministers of former dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali’s regime are also running for the election.

If none of the candidates wins an outright majority, a run-off vote will be held between the top hopefuls on December 28.

Officials have limited voting in areas close to the Algerian border to only five hours for the fear of possible attacks by militant groups.

Tunisia has also temporarily closed its border with Libya and deployed thousands of security forces across the country to secure the polls against potential terrorist attacks.

Tunisia had just two presidents between independence from France in 1956 and the 2011 revolution, namely Habib Bourguiba, known as the father of independence, and Ben Ali, who overthrew him in 1987.

Ben Ali himself fled to Saudi Arabia on January 14, 2011.

Tunisia’s new constitution, adopted in January, has limited the presidential powers, with most executive power resting with the prime minister from the parliamentary majority.