Israel votes today for a new prime minister and a new parliament.
Two candidates are running for prime minister - the incumbent, Mr Benjamin Netanyahu, of the right-wing Likud party and the Labour Party leader, Mr Ehud Barak.
The Centre Party contender, Mr Yitzhak Mordechai, right-wing ultra-nationalist Mr Beni Begin and Israeli Arab Mr Azmi Bishara have all pulled out of the race.
That ensures the contest will be decided today without the need for a run-off on June 1st.
The prime minister is directly elected under a system used for the first time in 1996. The prime minister and parliament are both elected for four years.
The winner has 45 days from the publication of the election results to present a government to parliament.
Thirty-one parties are vying for election to Israel's 120-member parliament, known as the Knesset. Around half the parties are expected to gain seats.
Representation is proportional, with 1.5 per cent of the vote - a threshold of about 55,000 voters - needed for a party to get into the Knesset.
The number of votes necessary per seat is determined only after the results. Based on past elections, officials estimate it will take from 25,000 to 26,000 votes per Knesset seat.
Israel has 4,285,428 registered voters. Israeli Arab leaders say more than 15 per cent of them are Israeli Arabs.
Abroad, 3,132 Israelis connected with the diplomatic corps cast their ballots on May 4th. Soldiers in remote areas, some serving in Lebanon, also vote via absentee ballot.
AFP adds: The Likud party accused the Labour opposition of using strong-arm tactics yesterday after a party activist died following a brawl with an opposition supporter.
Mr Rahamim Hebroni (50), died in hospital in Tel Aviv from head injuries he sustained during a fight on Friday with a Labour activist putting up campaign posters in a Tel Aviv suburb.
The Likud accused "heavies" of Mr Ehud Barak's One Israel coalition of "brutally killing" Mr Hebroni.
Mr Barak expressed regret at his death but denied that One Israel bore any responsibility.