The Poles are voting for president in nationwide balloting that is expected to see
incumbent, Bronislaw Komorowski, re-elected, but not in first round balloting.
Ten other candidates are running in Sunday's election, but none is likely to receive the more than 50 percent of the vote needed to avoid a May 24 runoff.
Some 40 percent of Poles support Mr. Komorowski, a center-right candidate, according to recent surveys that indicate he will most probably face Andrzej Duda, of the nationalist opposition Law and Justice party in a second round.
The vote is a test for Poland's two major political forces ahead of the parliamentary vote scheduled in the fall. Mr. Komorowski is aligned with the ruling Civic Platform party.
Some 30.8 million eligible voters are free to cast ballots.