Voters in Jerusalem are choosing a new mayor after a hard-fought election campaign that has raised tensions between religious and moderate Jews.
Israeli secular politician Nir Barkat is in the lead in the election to choose a new Jerusalem mayor, an exit poll suggests.
The frontrunners are an ultra-Orthodox rabbi, Meir Porush, and Nir Barkat, a secular city councillor.
According to the poll by Israel's Channel 1 TV, Mr Barkat got 50% of votes, against 42% for his main rival, ultra-orthodox rabbi Meir Porush.
Polls opened at 0500 GMT, and a second round of voting will be necessary if no candidate wins 40% of the vote.
To win outright a candidate must have at least 40% of the vote.
Local elections are also taking place in 160 other areas of Israel ahead of national polls on 10 February.
The hard-fought campaign has raised tensions between Israel's religious and secular Jews.
Also standing are the multi-millionaire Russian immigrant businessman and football club owner, Arkadi Gaydamak and the left-wing candidate Dan Biron.
A confirmed win for Mr Barkat, 49, would end a five-year rule of ultra-Orthodox Mayor Uri Lupolianski.
The election is widely seen as a battle between the city's secular residents and its growing ultra-orthodox Jewish community.
Both the main candidates are on the right of the political spectrum and have promised to build extensively in what the rest of the world regards as occupied East Jerusalem, says the BBC's Tim Franks in Jerusalem.
Most Palestinians and Israeli Arabs - who account for about a third of Jerusalem's population - have not taken part in the election.
The outgoing mayor, Uri Lupolianski, is ultra-orthodox and has been accused by some in the city of favouring his own community.
Although Mr Barkat has been leading in the polls, correspondents say high turn-out among ultra-orthodox voters could still boost Mr Porush - who has been seeking to reach out to secular voters.
Both Mr Barkat and Mr Porush are on the right of the political spectrum and have promised to build extensively in what the rest of the world regards as occupied East Jerusalem, says the BBC's Tim Franks in Jerusalem.
Mr Gaydamak, who is being tried in absentia in Paris for arms dealing, has courted the votes of roughly one third of the city's residents who are Palestinian and Israeli-Arab.
Most of them traditionally boycott municipal polls as they see participation as recognition of Israeli control over the city.
The status of Jerusalem is one of the most hotly-contested issues in Israeli-Palestinian negotiations.
The status of Jerusalem is one of the most hotly-contested issues in Israeli-Palestinian negotiations.
Israelis see the city as their capital, and Palestinians want to locate the capital of a future state in the east of the city, which Israel occupied in the 1967 Israeli-Arab war.
Israelis see the city as their capital, and Palestinians want to locate the capital of a future state in the east of the city, which Israel occupied in the 1967 Israeli-Arab war.
Correspondents say that as well as handling the political tensions, the mayor faces major challenges improving traffic flow and cleanliness, tackling high property prices and attracting fresh business to the city.
Correspondents say that as well as handling the political tensions, the mayor faces major challenges improving traffic flow and cleanliness, tackling high property prices and attracting fresh business to the city.
Although none of the biggest Israeli political parties have fielded a candidate in the mayoral race, the post can be a step to greater things - outgoing Prime Minister Ehud Olmert was mayor of Jerusalem from 1993 to 2003.
Local elections took place in 160 other areas of Israel ahead of national polls on 10 February.
