Senegal voters choose whether to give president another term

In this photo taken on Thursday, Feb. 21, 2019, supporters of Senegalese President Macky Sall cheer as he speaks at a rally ahead of Sunday's presidential elections in Dakar, Senegal. Sall is seeking a second term in office and hopes to win re-election Sunday in the first round. (AP Photo/Jane Hahn)

In this photo taken on Thursday, Feb. 21, 2019, Senegalese President Macky Sall speaks at a rally ahead of Sunday's presidential elections, in Dakar, Senegal. Sall is seeking a second term in office and hopes to win re-election Sunday in the first round. (AP Photo/Jane Hahn)

DAKAR, Senegal – Senegalese voters are choosing whether to give President Macky Sall a second term in office as he faces four challengers.

Polls opened at 8 a.m. in the capital of Dakar, where Sall has dubbed himself the "builder of modern Senegal."

The West African democracy has a long tradition of peaceful transfers of power.

Critics, though, have accused Sall of blocking two prominent opposition politicians from challenging him in the vote including Dakar's former mayor.

The presidency asserts that the disqualified candidates were convicted of corruption charges and that Senegal's judiciary is independent.

Sall must win a majority in Sunday's vote in order to avoid a runoff. His main competitors are former prime minister Idrissa Seck and former tax official Ousmane Sonko.