NBC News — Officials across France dusted off the ballot boxes friday to set up polling stations ahead of this weekend's presidential elections. Some 40 million voters are expected to head to the polls this weekend as the contenders in the race make their final appeals.

The vote is widely being seen as a referendum on incumbent President Nicolas Sarkozy, opinion polls show him to be the most unpopular French president in history. Assuming no candidate secures 50% of the vote this weekend, voters will head back for a second round after more campaigning.