Guatemalan runoff appears set - The top two finishers in the presidential vote, based on exit polls, give voters a choice between distinct ideologies.

The crime and poverty that ravage this county of 12.7 million people were the central issues heading into the campaign, which was tinged with violence, accusations of corruption, and fears that Guatemala may soon return to authoritarian rule after 12 years of democratic presidential elections.

Colom finished first, with 40%, and Perez Molina second, with 33%, according to an exit poll by the Guatevision television network. There were 14 candidates on the ballot. Alejandro Giammattei of the ruling coalition finished third, with 10%, based on the exit poll results.

The result leaves Guatemala with a clear choice between Colom, a technocrat critical of conservative "neoliberal" economic policies, and Perez Molina, a charismatic rightist promising a crackdown on crime.

Across Guatemala, millions turned out amid an often festive atmosphere. In rural communities, campaigns offered free meals to voters. And in at least one town plaza, a marimba band serenaded people as they waited in a long line to cast their ballots.

In San Raimundo, a hillside town about 15 miles by road from Guatemala City, women in traditional Maya embroidered dress voted alongside bus drivers and professionals.

"All we can hope for is for God to help whoever the winner is," said Teresa Vasquez, a mother of 10 whose husband migrated nine years ago to California in search of work. "The wages you make here aren't enough to live on."

About 10% of the 10,500 voters on the rolls in San Raimundo could not vote Sunday: They had left the country in search of work, officials said.

Frustration with the conservative economic policies of outgoing President Oscar Berger, who is barred by the constitution from seeking reelection, helped fuel support for Colom, the 56-year-old scion of a leftist family. The candidate of the National Unity for Hope led polls for weeks before the vote.

"He has a plan that will make things better for us," said Francisco Lopez, a 60-year-old farmer, explaining why he voted for Colom.

Colom is the nephew of a former leftist mayor of Guatemala City, who was slain during the years of military dictatorship. But Colom stumbled in the final weeks of the campaign after a poor debate performance and an aggressive media campaign by Perez Molina's Patriot Party.