Jakarta , Indonesia ( CNN ) -- Indonesians are heading to the polls Wednesday to elect its lawmakers in a crucial vote that will set the stage for the upcoming presidential elections . Grappling with questions over the country 's economy and corruption , voters will choose among 19,669 candidates for 532 legislature seats , at the national and sub-national level . Leading the presidential polls is a charismatic Jakarta governor , who is drawing comparisons to the 2008 version of Barack Obama . There are also smaller parties and colorful candidates including an Elvis impersonator , a former beauty queen and a singer . In this election , the political parties must win 25 % of the popular vote or 20 % of the legislative seats in order to officially nominate their candidates for president and vice president . The presidential election is slated for July 9 . Wednesday 's vote will shape the presidency as current President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono will end his 10-year tenure this year . Indonesian law prohibits third terms . Leading the polls . Recent surveys in Indonesia show a clear frontrunner for his successor . Joko Widodo , a 52-year-old former furniture exporter , built a reputation during his tenure as the mayor of Surakarta in Central Java . The candidate known as Jokowi draws similarities with Obama , because it 's a case of a relatively unknown candidate captivating national attention , says Douglas Ramage , an analyst with Bower Group Asia , based in Jakarta . `` Anyone who was disenchanted with the current government pours their hopes and dreams on him , '' he told CNN . Widodo 's supporters cheered on March 14 , when his party , the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle or PDI-P announced him as its presidential candidate . Described as `` folksy and self-effacing , '' Widodo 's leadership style has endeared him to supporters . He rose to national prominence in 2012 , when he became governor of the capital , Jakarta . For many , his victory signaled a clamor for a new breed of political leaders . `` If he becomes president in July , he would be the first Indonesian president who does n't come from a military , bureaucratic or elite background , '' Ramage said . `` We could be looking at a real generational shift in Indonesian politics . '' The Jokowi effect , as many call it now , is expected to change the political landscape . It may even spur apathetic voters , particularly among first-timers , to exercise their right to vote . `` I 'm too lazy to line up and vote but I 'll decide on the day itself , '' said Karin , a 28-year-old who voted for Yudhoyono in the last two elections . `` But I do want Jokowi to be president . '' But skeptics question whether Widodo has enough experience for the top post . One opinion piece in the Jakara Post asked : `` Can Indonesia afford untested leadership in this age ? '' For now , Widodo has had a `` Teflon aura '' because criticisms have n't stuck to the candidate , Ramage said . Another contender is Prabowo Subianto , a former general and son-in-law of Suharto , the former strongman who ruled Indonesia for 32 years . Prabowo , the presidential candidate for the Great Indonesia Movement ( Gerindra ) party , trails Widodo in most surveys by double digits . A complex election . Over the years , the number of national political parties has whittled down to 12 , but the established ones , like the PDI-P and Golkar , which Suharto founded , still dominate legislative elections . On Wednesday , each voter will be handed four ballots at the polling station , two for the upper and lower house , one each for the provincial and district legislatures . It can be daunting , even for seasoned voters . Fitri , a 32-year-old working mother , is still unsure whom to vote for . `` I do n't even know the candidates ' names , '' she said . Yudhoyono won the country 's first direct Presidential vote in 2004 , by a landslide , but his popularity has waned since then because of high-profile corruption cases involving members of his Democratic Party . He ran explicitly on a platform of anti-corruption in 2004 and 2009 , said Ramage . `` When voters are asked why they 're not supporting Yudhoyono 's party , there 's a sense of betrayal of promise . '' Indonesia is the world 's third 's largest democracy , after the United States and India , which is also currently holding elections . The Indonesian poll will span across 17,000 islands . Final results are not expected until late April or early May .
Indonesians will vote on its first Wednesday , an event seen as a preview for July 's presidential election . The governor has jumped into national spotlight as presidential contender . Election to be decided July 1 , but political parties must fare well in legislative elections to have a candidate .