ANKARA 

Millions of Australians are casting votes in federal elections Saturday to elect the country’s new prime minister as a tough contest is expected between the two major parties.

Voting is underway which began at 8 a.m. local time while polling stations will close at 6 p.m.

More than 17.2 million eligible voters will elect 151 members of the House of Representatives.

A tough contest is expected between Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s Liberal Party and opposition leader Anthony Albanese’s center-left Labour Party.

Initial results will be announced Saturday night. A survey conducted by Australian newspapers showed Albanese slightly ahead of Morrison.

Under election rules, voting is mandatory for those aged 18 and older.

According to the Election Commission, 8 million people have already voted including 5.54 million at pre-poll centers, 2.73 million applied for a postal vote, 27,000 cast a vote with a mobile team and 45,000 have registered for a telephone vote.

More than 7,000 voting centers have been established with over 105,000 personnel deployed across Australia, said the Commission.

*Writing by Islamuddin Sajid