Cape Verde voted on Sunday in a presidential election that could see the island nation elect its first woman head of state since independence from Portugal in 1975.Incumbent Jose Maria Neves is seeking a second term against former justice minister Joana Rosa, whose campaign has focused on the need for political balance and better opportunities for young people.The election comes as the West African archipelago grapples with a steady exodus of young people seeking work abroad. With a population of around 500,000, Cape Verde has a larger diaspora overseas, particularly in the United States and Portugal.Nearly 77,000 Cape Verdeans living abroad are registered to vote, accounting for almost a fifth of the electorate.Neves, who served as prime minister for 15 years before becoming president in 2021, has pledged to build cross-party support to improve housing, healthcare and education, create jobs and raise wages. He has also promised to organise a youth summit during a second term.Rosa, the candidate of the opposition Movement for Democracy (MpD), has called for policies that allow young people to build their futures at home rather than leave the country. She has campaigned around the idea that young people should “build their futures here at home and prevent the continued exodus of young Cape Verdeans abroad”. She has also made the need for a balance of power central to her campaign.Neves belongs to the African Party for the Independence of Cape Verde (PAICV), which won a majority in May’s parliamentary election, securing 37 of the 72 seats and ending a decade of MpD-led government. A Rosa victory would place the presidency and government in opposing political camps.Rosa is the first woman to contest the presidency since Cape Verde gained independence in 1975. While women have held senior cabinet positions, the country has never had a woman president or prime minister.Under Cape Verde’s parliamentary-presidential system, the prime minister holds most executive authority, while the president has veto powers and a mediating role.Polling stations were scheduled to open at 8 am and close at 6 pm local time. Provisional results were expected within two or three days. If no candidate secures more than 50% of the vote, the two leading candidates will face each other in a runoff on November 29.