The federal party leaders have cast their ballots in a vote that will ultimately decide whether Canadians want to continue 13 years of Liberal rule, or shift the country to a more-conservative right.
Leading up to the election, many polls have suggested that Conservative Leader Stephen Harper is headed for victory -- albeit possibly a minority win.
Indeed, the leaders' body language appeared to mirror predictions made by pollsters.
Liberal Leader Paul Martin and his wife Sheila cast their ballots in the Montreal riding of LaSalle-Emard.
Appearing somewhat tense, Martin said "I "felt great." After making his pick, he hurried to his waiting limousine, and did not respond to reporters' questions.
Harper, who previously cast his vote by mail, appeared to be in good spirits as he accompanied his wife Laureen Teskey to a polling station in Calgary.
"I try and smile as much as I can,'' Harper said when asked about his disposition.
In Toronto, NDP Leader Jack Layton and his wife Olivia Chow went to a polling station in the riding where Chow is running as the New Democrat candidate.
They walked from the campaign hotel to their home to pick up Chow's mother, Ho Sze Chow, on the way to cast their ballots.
After making his selection, Layton was asked who he voted for.
"It's a secret ballot," Layton said. "But I've got a great candidate here. It's a beautiful day. I'm hoping we'll have beautiful results."
Back in Montreal, Bloc Quebecois Leader Gilles Duceppe cast his vote and told reporters he was feeling confident.
While many had worried about the weather on election day, it didn't appear to be an issue in most parts of the country Monday.
Though windy and cold, it was sunny in much of Newfoundland as the first polls in the country opened for voters.
Elections Canada spokesman Dana Doiron said all polls in the three Maritime provinces opened on time.
"Reports are that the voting was brisk in the opening period," Doiron told The Canadian Press. "There were no reports of extraordinary lineups."
While voting was running smoothly for the most part, at least one ballot box was hijacked from a polling station in New Glasgow, N.S.
Police say a man grabbed the box, which contained 57 ballots, and drove over it with his truck.
The ballots have been recovered and placed in a new box, said Elections Canada officials.
Police have charged a man with one count of theft and one count of property damage, which will be processed under the federal Elections Act.
Though parts of Quebec and Ontario were also expecting light snow, the Liberal stronghold of Toronto saw sunny skies, unseasonably moderate temperatures, and a brisk voter turnout.
"I think it's a very important for everyone to vote, especially these days. I think it's a very important issue," one voter told CTV Toronto.
Meanwhile, meteorologists predict that parts of British Columbia, including Vancouver, are to receive rain or drizzle.
In the Prairies, Environment Canada forecasted "unusual January weather," saying a warm front would travel across southern Saskatchewan and Manitoba, carrying with it mild temperatures of zero or slightly higher.
Canadians will start to get a picture of who will lead the country shortly after voting ends in Newfoundland at 7 p.m. ET.
But if it's a tight race, it could be much later before the final results are in.
The final pitch
Buoyed by the promising poll numbers, Harper spent his final day of campaigning urging Canadians to vote for a change.
He opened the day in Liberal Leader Paul Martin's hometown of Windsor, Ont., before heading west, and picked up on his familiar theme of Liberal "corruption."
"When we are in office, we will do everything in our power to make sure the kinds of scandal and corruption we see from this government is never allowed to occur again in this country," Harper told a crowd of about 400 cheering supporters.
He also pledged to reduce the widely unpopular GST from 7 per cent to 5 per cent within five years, crack down on crime, boost military spending and shorten medical wait times.
Despite disappointing poll numbers, Martin has stubbornly refused to admit defeat.
"We're going to win this election," Martin defiantly told supporters in Richmond, B.C.
He also stayed on message Sunday, telling voters they have a choice between the agenda put forth by his ultra-conservative rivals and the progressive plan offered by Liberal party.
Over the last few months of campaigning, Martin has trumpeted eight consecutive budget surpluses under Liberal party rule.
He also highlighted Liberal promises, such as child-care funding, a ban on handguns and better health care.
The Liberal leader also tried to raise doubts about what a Conservative government would do. Martin claims Harper would try and outlaw abortions and overturn Canada's marriage rights for gays and lesbians -- all of which Harper denies.
"I will spend my time in office making sure that things get done," Martin told supporters in Richmond, B.C.
"Mr. Harper will make sure that things get undone."
While the battle is largely between Martin's Liberals and Harper's Conservatives, voters from Newfoundland to Nunavut will also be considering candidates from the New Democratic Party, the Bloc Quebecois and the Green Party.
In his final pitch Sunday, Layton declared that New Democrats are positioned to block Conservative candidates from sweeping ridings in Ontario and British Columbia.
Meanwhile, Bloc Quebecois Leader Gilles Duceppe, who is expected to sweep the province of Quebec again, is promising "constructive opposition" regardless of which party forms the next federal government.
That appears to leave open the door to working with Harper, despite ads warning Quebecers that the Conservative leader would run the government from Calgary.
As for the Green party, it is hoping to win its first seat in the House of Commons today.
Predictions
Allan Gregg, chairman of the Strategic Counsel, suggests the tightest race today will be in British Columbia, where the NDP and Conservatives are both battling for control.
"Stay tuned and stay up late," Gregg told CTV's Canada AM Monday.
As for "battleground" Ontario -- where most of the 308 seats are up for grabs -- Gregg said this province could tip the balance in the favour of the Conservatives.
In Quebec, where everyone anticipated a cakewalk for the Bloc, the Liberals have been virtually wiped out, while the Conservatives have tripled their popular vote since the 2004 campaign, Gregg said.
"They won't have the huge breakthrough they hoped for, but they will have seats coming out of Quebec."
In Atlantic Canada, there could also be some movement away from the Liberals.
"Atlantic Canada is traditionally the most stable political region in the country," said Gregg.
"They were the least likely to believe it was time for a change when this election started, but as the campaign moved, so did Atlantic Canadians."
