Thorsten Schaefer-Guembel, top candidate of the social democratic SPD party in Hesse, and his wife Annette arrive to cast their ballots on January 18, 2009 in Lich, western Germany, during elections in the regional state of Hesse. Voters in the German state of Hesse began casting ballots at the start of a marathon election year expected to propel Chancellor Angela Merkel to a second term. AFP PHOTO DDP/MICHAEL KAPPELER GERMANY OUT (Photo credit should read MICHAEL KAPPELER/AFP/Getty Images)