Ireland goes to the polls today in a vote that looks closer than previously expected after prime minister Simon Harris lost the momentum that motivated him to call the the snap general election just three weeks ago.

A fumbled meeting with a voter may dent Simon Harris’s popularity. But his coalition government’s main opposition, the nationalist party Sinn Fein, will likely remain locked out of power.

The two ruling center-right parties and the opposition Sinn Fein took equal shares of the vote, according to an exit poll. Ireland's Prime Minister Simon Harris had called for snap polls earlier this month.

People in Ireland are going to the polls Friday, as the country holds a general election to fill 174 seats in the Dail Eireann or lower house, the principal chamber of the country's parliament, the Oireachtas.

Ireland is voting in a parliamentary election that will decide the next government. It also will show whether Ireland bucks the global trend of incumbents being ousted by disgruntled voters.

The polls are set to open for the Irish general election. Polling stations will be open between 07:00 and 22:00 local time on Friday to allow voters to choose representatives to serve as Teachtaí Dála (TDs) in the Dáil,