The Latest: Austrian Greens candidate ahead in absentee vote
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The Latest on Austria's presidential election (all times local):
4:20 p.m.
A left-leaning candidate is ahead of his right-wing Euroskeptic rival in a count of absentee ballots for the Austrian presidency, but it is still not clear who is the overall victor.
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Direct votes Sunday without the count of about 700,000 absentee ballots gave Norbert Hofer of the right-wing, Euroskeptic Freedom Party 51.9 percent while Alexander Van der Bellen, a Greens politician running as an independent, got 48.1 percent.
Projections after polls closed Sunday gave Van der Bellen a slight lead, including those absentee ballots. A final result, including all votes, is expected later Monday, with the Interior Ministry announcing a total count.
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10:30 a.m.
A Eurosceptic, anti-immigration right-winger and his left-leaning rival are neck and neck in Austria's presidential election a day after polls closed, and officials are now counting absentee ballots to determine who will win.
Direct votes Sunday gave right-winger Norbert Hofer 51.9 percent to 48.1 percent for Alexander Van der Bellen, a Greens politician running as an independent. But final projections that include still-to-be-counted absentee ballots put each at 50 percent with Van der Bellen narrowly ahead.
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About 700,000 absentee ballots — close to a sixth of total votes cast — are slated to be counted by Monday evening for a final tally.
Whoever wins, Sunday's voting has revealed a profound split over which direction the nation should now take, particularly over migration and the future of the European Union.