Record Turnout in El Salvador Today

This is interesting...

Voter turnout in El Salvador's last presidential election, in 1999, was only 39 percent.

Today, according to this Reuters report in Spanish, turnout will exceed 60 percent.

Polls close at 8 p.m. Central Time (9 p.m. ET).

Here's a translation of the money point in the Reuters report:

(FMLN candidate Schafik) Handal said "we are certain of winning today and we will start celebrating at 8 p.m.," as he hung a floral wreath at the tomb of Archbishop Oscar Arnulfo Romero, assassinated by a right-wing squadron in March of 1980.

(ARENA candidate Tony) Saca was leading in the polls by six points over Handal some days ago, but a poll published on Saturday revealed a tie.

If the vote is very close, it could cause a second round... the law demands an absolute majority to win in the first round.

(Hmmm. Wish we had that system in the United States!)

Anyway, stay tuned after 8 p.m. Central Time... we'll be posting the up to minute results in English on The Narcosphere section of Narco News.