PoliticsOnline announced the first results from Global Vote, a unique online global vote for the presidential elections being hosted by the BBC, in cooperation with Associated Press, International Herald Tribune, Public Broadcasting Service, International News Alliance and other international media partners.

With over 70,000 people voting so far, Kerry leads in the Global Vote with 72% while Bush is strongest with Persian language voters with 49%. The online results will be updated in near real time until the polls close in the US on Election Day.

Global Vote is a first ever world vote being conducted in 11 languages where the people of the world can express their opinion about the presidential candidates and see how their vote compares to others by language, global region, age, sex.

People through out the world can participate at the BBC site or from the website of the other global media partners. Click here for the full results.

"These specific results are interesting, but the big story is that Internet is radically changing politics on a global scale and Global Vote is just the next step in the revolution. The Internet is radically changing politics on a global scale and this is just the next step in the revolution," said Phil Noble, Founder of PoliticsOnline that developed the technology for the BBC and Global Vote. "We are just at the beginning of a global transformation of politics as we know it today. Big changes are happening very quickly - everywhere."

In other results so far:

• Bush's strongest regional support is from the Middle East and North Africa where he trails Kerry 42 to 44%.
• Kerry was slightly more popular globally with women giving him 79% support and men 72%.
• The vote shares for Bush and Kerry were virtually the same across all age groups.
• Ralph Nader, who is of Lebanese descent, receives 14% of the vote in the Middle East and North Africa and 9% globally.

This project is being promoted globally in cooperation with Associated Press, International Herald Tribune, Public Broadcasting Service, International News Alliance and other international media partners.