2016 Austrian presidential election run-off Sunday May 22,2016

Austrians have headed to the polls in a tight race between an anti-immigration Freedom Party candidate and a Greens-backed economics professor.

The election pits 72-year-old Green-backed economics professor Alexander Van der Bellen (R. in above photo) against 45-year-old Norbert Hofer, the far-right Freedom Party (FPÖ) candidate (L. in above photo) amid Europe's worst migrant crisis since WWII.

A record 14 percent of Austria's 6.4 million eligible voters will be casting their ballots by mail this year and could prove to be a tie-breaker in an expectedly tight race.

In the first round of voting held on April 24,2016, Hofer unexpectedly beat his rival by 35 % to 21 %

The result signified a historic shift for Austria. For the first time since 1945, Austria will not have a president backed by either the Social Democrats (SPÖ) or the center-right People's Party (ÖVP).

The election could result in the EU's first far-right head of state

Independent candidate Alexander Van der Bellen  Wins Austria's Presidential Election

Independent candidate Alexander Van der Bellen has won Austria's presidential election, preventing Norbert Hofer from becoming the EU's first far-right head of state 

Norbert Hofer led narrowly after Sunday's election but postal votes counted on Monday May 23,2016 gave Van der Bellen victory

Norbert Hofer had led Mr Van der Bellen by 51.9% to 48.1%, the interior ministry said, after counting on Sunday May 22,2016

But the 750,000 postal votes - roughly 12% of Austria's 6.4 million registered voters - swayed the result.