Quito  - Ecuador's leftist President Rafael Correa was re- elected Sunday with 54 per cent of the first-round vote, according to results broadcast by television channel Ecuavis from an exit poll by the government-hired pollster Santiago Perez.

According to the exit survey, former Ecuadorian president Lucio Gutierrez (2003-05) got 31 per cent.

In order to avoid a runoff, the socialist Correa, 46, needed to either capture a majority of the vote, or a plurality of more than 40 per cent with a margin of at least 10 percentage points over the second-place candidate.

No major incidents were reported during Sunday's voting. There were some minor logistical problems, including delays and isolated instances of campaigning in polling stations, which is illegal.

Observers from the European Union and the Organization of American States were in attendance.

Preliminary official results for the presidential election were expected to be released late Sunday, though broader results were likely to take longer, with 6,000 elected positions at stake.

The election was historic in Ecuador as the first in which an incumbent president sought re-election.

This was the South American country's fourth national balloting in 28 months since Correa was first elected president.

If official results confirm Correa's victory, he would win a four- year term. Under the new constitution, he would still be eligible to seek re-election to another four-year mandate. (dpa)