Greeks are voting in a general election overshadowed by an outbreak in August of national wildfires that killed dozens of people.
Exit polls in Greece's general election suggest the centre-right party of Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis is set to defeat its socialist rival.
The main challenge to Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis and his centre-right party, New Democracy, is the socialist Pasok party, led by George Papandreou.
The exit polls indicate Mr Karamanlis' New Democracy party will win about 42% of the vote, against about 38% for the Pasok party led by George Papandreou.
Mr Karamanlis had a slim lead going into the vote but has faced criticism over his handling of the fires.
The election has been overshadowed by an outbreak of wildfires that killed dozens of people in August.
A large number of undecided voters could tilt the poll to either party.
Smaller parties were expected to win seats in parliament for the first time.
In addition, a number of smaller parties are expected to win seats in parliament for the first time.
Reluctant voters
Polls close at 1900 (1600GMT) with the first results expected soon after.
About 9.8 million Greeks are eligible to vote.
ELECTION FACTS Voting is compulsoryFirst official results expected two hours after polling endsA total of 21 parties are involved in 56 constituenciesA total of 300 deputies are elected for four yearForty seats awarded to party with largest number of votes to make majorities more secureOther 260 seats divided on percentage of vote Voters' voices
Voter turnout was described as normal but reluctant in the Peloponnese peninsula south of Athens, heavily hit by the forest fires.
"We are all in dire straits, but we must vote so that [politicians] don't forget about us," Stella Lambropoulou told the French news agency AFP as she went to vote.
Mr Karamanlis voted early in Salonika, the capital of the Greek province of Macedonia.
He tapped the top of the ballot box and said "we respect and trust all citizens and participate in this celebration of democracy as, at all celebrations, with smiles and enthusiasm".
Mr Karamanlis had been expected to triumph in the poll, after calling elections six months before the end of his term of office.
But many Greeks felt the government was slow to react to the raging wildfires, and support for his party began to wane.
The BBC's Malcolm Brabant, in Athens, says all the indications are that New Democracy will still do well.
Political dynasties
But he says it is unclear whether it will get an overall majority in the 300-seat parliament.
The party has won praise in the EU for its control of public finances.
Mr Papandreou promised to make Greece a Mediterranean role modelHowever, our correspondent says, it has failed to make sufficient progress in the battle against corruption or improving the efficiency of the top-heavy civil service.
Mr Papandreou is promising to create a green economy and to make Greece a role model for the Mediterranean.
He is also pledging a programme of sustainable development to help the country recover from the fires.
The Papandreou and Karamanlis families have dominated the Greek political scene for most of the past 50 years.
But analysts say smaller parties have been gaining support in the run-up to the election.
The far-right Laos party is expected to cross the 3% threshold needed to gain seats in parliament for the first time.
