Ruling liberal candidate Martinez leading Uruguay election - media polls

By Fabien Werner

BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) - Ruling liberal coalition candidate Daniel Martinez is leading the Uruguay election but a determining second round will be needed, according to exit polls.

The liberal Frente Amplio coalition has run Uruguay for more than 14 years, but Martinez, a former mayor of the capital Montevideo, faced a significant challenge from a resurgent conservative right.

Martinez polled 40% to rival Luis Lacalle Pou's 29%, the polls conducted by Factum, Cifra, Opcion and Equipos suggested. If no candidate gets over 50% of the vote, the two with the most votes will meet in a run-off on the last Sunday of November.

(Reporting by Fabien Werner; Writing by Aislinn Laing; Editing by Tom Hogue)