Indonesians are preparing to vote in a new president, paving the way for the first handover of power from one directly elected leader to another.

Today’s elections are a massive undertaking, with 185 million voters lodging their choice across 6,000 inhabited islands.

Voters punch their ballot with a nail to indicate which candidate they want to win.

The latest opinion poll shows there is a narrow margin between the two candidates, Joko “Jokowi” Widodo and Prabowo Subianto.

The poll of 2,400 people by the Indonesian Survey Institute shows there is just 3.6 per cent separating the candidates, with a margin of error of about 2 per cent.

Mr Subianto, a former Suharto-era general who is accused of human rights violations, has almost closed the gap on Mr Widodo.

Jakarta street vendor Yanto says he is hoping for a Widodo win, but he thinks business could benefit from a Prabowo victory too.

“[Mr Widodo] is more liked by the people … he was good when he was the mayor of Solo,” he said.

“While Prabowo, he’s new in this politics … people don’t know him well yet.

“[On the] economy? Prabowo is better on that I think – maybe on economy, Prabowo is better.”

Exit polls and a so-called quick count will be the first indication of what the result might be, but it can take up to a month to finish counting all the votes lodged in the world’s third-largest democracy.