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Costa Ricans Voting for President VOA News 3 Feb 2002 15:50 UTC 
Voters in Costa Rica are casting ballots Sunday in a tight three-way presidential race.
The top three candidates are Abel Pacheco of the ruling right-wing Social Christian Unity Party, Rolando Araya from the social-democratic National Liberation Party and Otton Solis, who formed his own party, the Citizen Action Party.
For the first time in years, the outcome of the vote is uncertain because the latest opinion polls give no single candidate a clear majority.
Another 10 candidates trail far behind the three top contenders.
A runoff vote, if necessary, will be held April 7.
Costa Rican voters also are choosing two new vice-presidents, 57 members of the Legislative Assembly and municipal authorities.
The Central American nation, which lies between Panama and Nicaragua, has had a peaceful, democratic history for more than 50 years.
Some information for this report provided by DPA and AFP.
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