Cubans vote on parliament candidates MILLIONS of Cubans have voted for parliamentary candidates in elections that critics say are closed and offer no real competition, but that the government defends as part of grass-roots democracy. The elected unicameral legislature will convene on February 24 and pick a new parliament chief for the first time in two decades, with the body's long-time leader, Ricardo Alarcon, not on the ballot. The body is also expected to rename Raul Castro, whom state TV showed casting his ballot in the eastern province of Santiago on Sunday, as president for another five years. Government critics call Cuban elections perfunctory, noting that only the Communist Party is permitted on the island and only one approved candidate is on the ballot for each seat in parliament. Castro and his older brother Fidel, now retired, have headed up the government for five decades. Authorities say the lack of multiple parties or political campaigning keeps corruption and special-interest money out of elections, and point to high turnout as proof that it's a participatory system. Parliamentary candidates don't need to belong to the Communist Party, but those who don't generally are members of allied organisations. It is a different electoral system. Personally I find it is more democratic than (others) I know," Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez said after casting his ballot at a school in an upscale neighbourhood of western Havana. More than eight million islanders are eligible to vote, and will approve 612 members of the National Assembly and more than 1600 provincial delegates. The government said turnout in 2008, when the last parliamentary election was held, was 96.8 per cent.