Ukrainian comedian and presidential candidate Volodymyr Zelensky casts his ballot at a polling station during Ukraine’s presidential election in Kiev on March 31, 2019. (Genya Savilov/AFP/Getty Images)

With nearly 55 per cent of votes counted by election officials, he secured just over 30 per cent of the vote, holding a significant lead over rival Mr Poroshenko’s at 17 per cent. The early results indicate that populist former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko received some 13 per cent voter support, not enough to leap into the second round run-off. If confirmed by election officials after a final count in the coming days, Mr Zelensky will be running against Mr Poroshenko in a second round on April 21.