Quito, Aug 21 (IANS) Preliminary results revealed that Luisa Gonzalez of Citizen Revolution Movement and former legislator Daniel Noboa are expected to beat out six other candidates in the first round of Ecuador's presidential elections and then face off in the runoff, the National Electoral Council (CNE) said.With over 60 per cent of ballot boxes counted as early Monday morning, Gonzalez has tallied around 33 per cent support, followed by Noboa of the National Democratic Alliance, who has obtained over 24 per cent of the vote, according to the CNE figures.
Journalist Christian Zurita was in third place with 16 per cent, Xinhua news agency quoted the poll body as saying.
"The results already mark a trend that the elections will go to the second round," head of the CNE Diana Atamaint said in a televised statement.
She added that voting on Sunday was a "calm, safe and respectful process of the will of the Ecuadorian people" and the counting process was transparent.
The second round of the elections is scheduled for October 15.
The winner will succeed Guillermo Lasso, a former banker who cut short his four-year term (2021-2025) in office following a legislative attempt to impeach him.
Lasso headed off the trial by dissolving the National Assembly and calling for early elections.
--IANS