Bahrainis began voting in the small Gulf state's national elections on Saturday, Reuters reported. Sheikh Ali Salman, leader of Al-Wefaq National Islamic Society said on Friday his party is contesting 17 of the 40 parliamentary seats and 23 of the 40 municipal seats. The elections, are the first to be contested by Wefaq in Bahrain, a small island state of 650,000. Wefaq boycotted the 2002 polls to protest against constitutional changes that granted a state-appointed council equal legislative powers to the elected assembly. Bahrain, headquarters of the U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet, is ruled by the al-Khalifa family. Since coming to power in 1999, King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa has introduced some reforms, including pardoning political prisoners and exiles. Voters flocked to have their say at the ballot box, with men and women lining up in separate queues before polling stations opened at 8 a.m. (0500 GMT). Bahrain bristled with billboards on the eve of the polls, featuring candidates. Most candidates are promising more jobs, more housing and better education.
