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Sauli Niinisto the National Coalition party candidate for the Finnish presidential election campaigns in Helsinki on Saturday Feb. 4, 2012 the day before the runoff of Finland's presidential election. (AP Photo/LEHTIKUVA / Roni …

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Updated: Sunday, 05 Feb 2012, 1:30 PM EST
Published : Sunday, 05 Feb 2012, 1:30 PM EST

HELSINKI (AP) — Finland's public broadcaster says former Finance Minister Sauli Niinisto is leading a presidential runoff in a preliminary count of advance votes.

Sunday's count of some 1.5 million votes representing about a third of the electorate shows Niinisto, a conservative, leading with 65.4 percent, against Greens candidate Pekka Haavisto with 34.6 percent.

Surveys have shown Niinisto as a clear front-runner after beating seven others in the first round of the election on Jan. 22, but failing to get the required majority of more than 50 percent of the votes.