Ivory Coast heads to the polls in an election that could see Ouattara rule for almost 20 years

ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast (AP) — Ivory Coast is voting to elect a new leader Saturday as longtime President Alassane Ouattara seeks a fourth term.

Voting is expected to open at 0800 GMT and close by 1800 GMT, with 8.7 million people registered to vote. Turnout has only been slightly above 50% in the last two elections. Vote counting is expected to begin immediately after the polls close.

The election is the latest example of aging men continuing to hold power in Africa, which boasts the youngest population in the world. Cameroon’s Paul Biya, 92, Uganda’s Yoweri Museveni, 81, and Equatorial Guinea’s Teodoro Mbasogo, 83, are some other older African leaders still in power.

Five candidates are jostling for Ivory Coast’s top job, but many see the election as going one way, with Ouattara, the 83-