Saudi men started voting in municipal elections in the capital Riyadh today in the first stage in an unprecedented nationwide vote in the absolute monarchy.
The polls are part of a cautious program of reform introduced by de facto ruler Crown Prince Abdullah, who has faced growing calls for change from domestic activists and Saudi Arabia's main ally, the United States.
Critics say the elections are largely a cosmetic response to reform demands. But diplomats say the vote will at least create a mechanism for Saudis to channel concerns and complaints.
Voters are deciding just half the members of municipal councils whose powers are likely to be limited. The other council members will be appointed.
Women cannot vote and few men registered in the Riyadh area - just 149,000 in a city of over four million people.
The Riyadh vote is the first of a three-part election for municipal councils across the country. Voting will take place in the eastern and southern provinces next month, and in western and northern Saudi Arabia in April.
"Reform in this religious society takes time. If it is not gradual, it will not give the expected results," Labour Minister Ghazi Algosaibi said this week.
More than 1,800 candidates are competing for around 200 seats in the Riyadh area and some have spent millions of dollars on campaigns. They range from businessmen, tribal figures, security chiefs, to academics and officials whose enthusiasm has contrasted sharply with widespread voter apathy.