国际英语新闻：Panama's general elections voting ends

PANAMA CITY, May 3 (Xinhua) -- Panama's general elections voting ended on Sunday at 4:00 p.m. (2100 GMT).

    More than 2.2 million Panamanians out of the country's 3.3 million population have registered to vote for Sunday's elections, which will select the country's president, vice president, 71 National Assembly members, 20 members at the Central American Parliament, 75 mayors and 623 local council members, according to the National Electoral Council.

    Preliminary results for the presidential race are expected on late Sunday.

Panama's presidential candidate Ricardo Martinelli of the Democratic Change (CD) party talks to journalists at his home prior to presidential elections in Panama City, May 3, 2009

    The two leading presidential candidates are Ricardo Martinelli of the opposition Democratic Change Party, Balbina Herrera of the ruling Democratic Revolutionary Party.

    By Panama's election law, a candidate can win the presidential race with a simple majority of votes and there is no second round. The winner will replace outgoing President Martin Torrijos on June1 for a five-year term.