VILNIUS, May 12 (Xinhua) - The presidential election and two referendums kicked off in Lithuania Sunday with nine candidates running for the top position, including incumbent Prime Minister Saulius Skvernelis.

People walk past a campaign billboard bearing a portrait of presidential candidate, Gitanas Nauseda, and reading "Vote for the independent president" on May 11, 2019, in Vilnius. (Photo: AFP)

Polling stations are open from 7 a.m. local time (0400 GMT) to 8 p.m. (1700 GMT), with about 2.47 million Lithuanians casting their ballots.

So far economist Gitanas Nauseda, former Finance Minister Ingrida Simonyte, and Skvernelis led the race.

According to the last poll before the election conducted by Baltijos tyrimai, 21.1 percent of Lithuanians were to vote for Nauseda, compared with 19.5 percent for Simonyte and 18.4 percent for Skvernelis.

Lithuania's European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety Vytenis Povilas Andriukaitis ranked fourth with 6.6 percent.