By Khaled Yacoub Oweis

Damascus (Reuters) - Syrians went to the polls on Sunday to re-elect President Bashar al-Assad for a second term in a ballot widely viewed as a formality.

Only a political miracle could stop Assad, the only candidate allowed to run, from cruising to victory.

With Iraq plunging into sectarian strife and instability in Lebanon, state media and the Baath party have emphasized Basher's command of a strong state, economic reform and his vision of upholding Arab rights in the struggle with Israel.

"With Bashar, Syria is the homeland of security and stability," the government said in a message to mobile phone subscribers in a million-dollar campaign launched along with businessmen close to the ruling class.

"Today Syria has a rendezvous with its future."

Parliament unanimously chose the 41-year-old as the sole candidate for president earlier this month. At least one other contender, a lawyer, said his application was ignored.

Ruling Baath Party functionaries, public sector employees and members of the massive security apparatus were among the first at polling booths when they opened.

Bashar won 97.29 percent of the vote last time when he succeeded his late father, Hafez al-Assad, in 2000. Similar margins were normal in such votes during the elder Assad's rule.