Egypt extends polling by 2 hours after huge voter turnout

Egyptians voted in droves on Monday (November 28) in the first election since the fall of long-time ruler Hosni Mubarak, giving Islamists a chance to make political gains even as the army generals who replaced him cling to power.Turnout in the countrys first free poll in decades was high and, as the day wore on, Egypts ruling military said voting would be extended two hours later than scheduled.Voting for this first round of the three-phase lower house election will also take place on Tuesday (November 29). Fears of unrest did not appear to have deterred voters. After a few hours of polling, the election commission chief said turnout was higher than expected but gave no details.There were no reports of serious violence. Troops outnumbered police guarding polling stations. Frustration erupted last week into violent protests that cost 42 lives, mostly around Cairos Tahrir Square, centre of the popular uprising that forced the end of Mubaraks 30-year-rule in February.Tents of protesters demanding an immediate end to army rule still stood in Tahrir Square on Monday, but after heavy overnight rain it was far from crowded.One protester said he had witnessed an attempt at vote-buying by a member of the former regime, from the National Democratic Party, now standing under different colours.One of the ex-members of National Democratic Party (NDP) was paying tens of pounds to the voters to vote for him and this was happening in the presence of police and the human rights observers, I told them about theses illegal actions, but they did nothing. What I want to say is that we will never allow any ex-NDP member to represent us in the new parliament, Abdullah Mahmoud said.Despite widespread voter enthusiasm, concern still lingered that the military was more focused on preserving its privilege and power than on nurturing democratic transformation, particularly in Tahrir Square.