Residents of Istanbul are back at the polling stations on Sunday in a rerun of the mayoral election, which was last held about three months ago.
The rerun comes weeks after Ekrem Imamoglu, the candidate of main opposition Republican People's Party's (CHP), won the contest in Turkey's commercial hub by a slim margin over Binali Yildirim of the ruling AKP.
Voting started at 8.00am local time (05:00GMT) and will continue through 5:00pm local time (140:0GMT) in 31,342 ballot boxes across 39 districts of Istanbul.
The result of the March 31 polls was a big blow to the AKP, which in the same local polls also lost control of the country's capital, Ankara, and Izmir, the third largest city.
The AK Party, led by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, successfully lobbied for a rerun of the Istanbul mayoral vote, after Imamoglu secured the seat with a difference of just 13,729 votes.
Imamoglu spent only 18 days in office when Turkey's election board ordered a rerun in the country's largest city, citing "situations which affected the result and honesty" of the polls. The decision came after the AKP, which ran Istanbul for the past two decades, lodged an "extraordinary objection" against the result.
A country with very few swing voters, residents in Turkey have deep-rooted loyalty to their respective political choices.
Kamat, a 39-year-old AKP supporter, said he was "glad" a new vote would be held.
"CHP cheated … so another election that isn't rigged will be better," Kamat, a private security worker who requested his last name not to be used, told Al Jazeera.
'Tired of their lies'
Across the divide, similar words are echoed in support of CHP.
Zeynep, who also did not give her last name for fear of reprisal, said she was tired of the AKP's "lies".
"They stole the power from Imamoglu and they're suppressing the media and everyone to think the way they do, always," the 61-year-old told Al Jazeera.
"I'm tired of the AKP, I'm tired of their lies and what they've done to this country."
According to Soner Cagaptay, director of the Turkish Research Programme at The Washington Institute, the mayoral rerun is an historic turning point in the country.
Cagaptay said never before in the history of Turkey since it became a multiparty democracy in 1950 had the Supreme Electoral Council (YSK) reversed a major election outcome.
"This is the first time … the loser did not accept the outcome, they challenged what they wanted and they got a revote," Cagaptay told Al Jazeera.
"The board really couldn't stand under the weight of Erdogan's political personality and bowed to him."
Speaking on Sunday during Turkey's first live TV debate in 17 years, Imamoglu called the rerun a "democracy fight".
"It is a challenge of democracy ... I am an elected metropolitan mayor ... [so this is] a challenge against who has claimed our rights," Imamoglu said.
Economic woes
With Turkey facing its first recession in a decade, the Istanbul mayoral candidates have mostly focused on unemployment, poverty and the cost of living.
According to the most recent data released by the Turkish Statistical Institute in 2017, at 970 billion Turkish liras ($166.6bn), Istanbul accounts for just over 31 percent of the country's gross domestic product (GDP), meaning the city has an economy greater than countries such as Finland, Egypt, Portugal and Greece.
Even so, the distribution of GDP per capita has been decreasing for the past six years, squeezing many Istanbul residents.
Social media users took advantage of the live debate on Sunday to ask if the candidates would declare their worth if elected.
The AKP's Yildirim replied there is no such "tradition". "But for me, there is no problem; we are ready to be accountable," he said.
In the purpose of "honesty", CHP's Imamoglu said it would be a "pleasure" for him to do so.
Campaign signs erected around the city over the past few weeks openly rival each other as to which side will give the best deal, or even free offers, on everyday necessities such as gas, water and transportation.
CHP promises a 40 percent reduction in water prices and that it will provide monthly support to families in need, including distribution of free milk to "poor and needy Istanbul residents".
The AKP has promised a better deal: a discount of 46 percent on water bills and 10 percent on gas, as well as monthly assistance for low-income families of 50 liras ($8.6) for gas and 80 liras ($13.73) for electricity bills.