Scots vote in independence referendum

Nearly 4.3 million people - some 97 percent of eligible Scots - were registered to cast their ballots in the poll, which opened at 7 a.m. local time (0600 UTC) on Thursday.

Lines formed outside polling stations early in the morning, as people turned out to vote "Yes" or "No" in response to the question "Should Scotland be an independent country?"

If Scots vote "Yes," it would end a union with England that dates back to 1707, and could force British Prime Minister David Cameron to resign.

"We can take our future into our own hands," pro-independence First Minister Alex Salmond told the AFP news agency after casting his vote near his home in the northeast Scottish farming village of Strichen.

"We've got the chance to build a more prosperous economy but also a fairer society," he said.

Too close to call

The Yes camp appeared to gain on the No campaign's lead in the final weeks of the campaign, but a final opinion poll published as the referendum was underway gave the supporters of keeping Scotland within the United Kingdom a 6 percent lead.

The Ipsos Mori survey for the London Evening Standard newspaper put support for staying within the UK at 53 percent, with support for independence at 47 percent. It said four percent of Scots who were certain to vote were still undecided.

Previously surveys, conducted by pollsters YouGov, Panelbase, Survation Opinium and ICM, gave the secessionists a similar advantage.

DW's Bernd Riegert spoke with voters heading to the polling stations

Different destiny

In the event of a vote for independence, Britain and Scotland would face 18 months of talks on how to carve up North Sea oil and what to do about membership to the European Union.

Supporters of the union say Scotland is more prosperous and economically secure as part of the United Kingdom, but the movement for independence argues Scots should be able to choose their own leaders and make their own decisions rather than be ruled from London.

The United States has made it clear it wants Scotland to remain part of the United Kingdom.

"The UK is an extraordinary partner for America and a force for good in an unstable world. I hope it remains strong, robust and united," US President Barack Obama said on Wednesday.

European leaders have expressed concern about the possibility of independence, especially Spain, which fears it could inspire separatists in Catalonia and the Basque Country.

Booths will close at 10 p.m. local time (2100 UTC), after which the ballot boxes will be transported to 32 regional centers for counting of the votes. Results are expected to come in early Friday.

nm/rc (AFP, Reuters, AP)