Latvia's prime minister pledged to continue stimulating economic growth if his centre-right government was re-elected in yesterday's general election.
The Electoral Commission said voting was proceeding smoothly in the first poll since the small Baltic nation joined the European Union in 2004. About 43 per cent of the 1.4 million voters had cast their ballots by 1600 local (3 p.m. Malta time).
Opinion polls show the government in the ex-Soviet state, which commands 46 seats in the 100-seat parliament, should garner enough support to be re-elected after a campaign largely devoid of major issues.
Polling stations across Latvia will close at 10 p.m. (Latvia time). Final results are due early today.
Prime Minister Aigars Kalvitis, casting his vote at the small coastal town of Engure, was confident the minority coalition government, led by his People's Party, would win.
If returned it will continue Latvia's pro-EU policies and its push to join the euro as soon as possible.
The last opinion poll on Friday showed support for the People's Party - and its partners the Greens, the Farmers Union and Latvia's First Party - rose to 32.9 per cent compared with 30.8 per cent a week earlier.
Although support for opposition groups rose slightly, they remain split with support only in single digits.
Analysts believe voters will ignore side issues such as concern about corruption, an apparently widening gap between rich and poor and a large ethnic Russian population which is alienated despite Latvia's political and economic success since its 1991 independence.
The coalition is perceived as a safe pair of hands that will nurture prosperity in one of the EU's fastest-growing economies. The economy grew 12 per cent in the first half of this year.
"Our economy is doing well but something needs to be done about inflation. I hope the government will do something after the election," said steacher Martins Zvirbulis, 30.
Analysts said two factors could still change the election outcome - the 13 per cent of voters who Friday's poll showed were still undecided and the large number of Latvians living abroad, whose voting intentions are unknown.
An estimated 10 per cent of Latvia's workforce has gone abroad chasing better wages, many working as mushroom pickers in Ireland. In recognition of that, Latvia yesterday opened a polling station in Dublin.
Voting turnout in Latvia is expected to be lower than at the previous election which had a turnout close to 70 per cent.