Egyptians vote, Mubarak's party expected to win as usual

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CAIRO (Reuters) - Egyptians voted on Wednesday in the first stage of legislative elections expected to make only minor inroads in the domination of parliament by President Hosni Mubarak's National Democratic Party (NDP).

The elections are especially important this year because they could decide who can run for president of the Arab world's most populous nation at any time up to 2010. Mubarak is 77.

Parties must win at least 23 of the 444 elected seats in the lower house to field a presidential candidate during parliament's next term.

Election officials at six Cairo polling stations reported turnout of between 10 and 20 percent. Turnout at the end of the 2000 elections was between 14 and 40 percent.