Voting has begun this morning in Sungai Limau, where 27,222 eligible voters will pick their new assemblyman for the seat which fell vacant following the death of its incumbent Tan Sri Azizan Abdul Razak in September.
Polling began at 17 schools in the constituency, a seat held by Azizan, the former Kedah Menteri Besar, for five terms since 1995.
Last May, Azizan won the seat with a 2,774-vote majority in a four-cornered fight, which included his cousin Mohd Fazillah Mohd Ali as the BN candidate.
The by-election is a straight fight between PAS's Mohd Azam Abdul Samat, 47, and BN's Dr Ahmad Sohaimi Lazim, 52.
Sohaimi is expected to cast his ballot at Sekolah Kebangsaan Dulang while Azam will vote at the Sekolah Kebangsaan Bukit Besar.
Sungai Limau, a small town of farmers and fishermen, was the focus of attention over the past 12 days as supporters from BN and PAS flocked the area to woo support.
Some 93% of voters are Malays, 6% Chinese and the rest Indians, Sabahans and Sarawakians.
Analysts see the by-election as a battle of "dignity" for PAS and Umno, especially for the former which lost Kedah to BN in the 13th general election.
A victory for PAS will prove that the Islamist party is still a force in Kedah, but losing the seat will just add more salt to their wound.
As for Umno, it is a chance for Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir to prove himself, especially after his recent loss in the Umno vice-presidential race.
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