No complaints so far during electoral process: NEA

CAIRO – 27 March 2018: “There have not been any complaints or obstacles during the electoral process so far and operation rooms are following the process very closely,” National Election Authority (NEA) spokesperson Mahmoud al-Sherif told Egypt Today on Tuesday.

Sherif added that all polling stations around the country opened at 9.00 a.m. without delay.

On Monday, the first voting day, the NEA held a press conference to review the progress of the electoral process, confirming that the national authority did not receive any complaints or obstacles. This is with the exceptional cases of three judges who suffered some illness and were replaced immediately without affecting the election process.

During the press conference, a journalist asked the NEA spokesperson about the authority’s procedures to check female voters who wear niqab. Sherif replied that the national authority deployed a female official at each polling station to check women wearing niqab.

The National Election Authority will hold a second press conference on Tuesday at 3.00 p.m.

The presidential election began on Monday, and will continue until Wednesday. Thus far, there has been a huge turnout with the opening of polling stations on Monday morning, and the queues of voters extended in front of the polling stations for long distances amid the joy and happiness of citizens.

About 60 million Egyptians are eligible to vote in the ongoing polls to elect the country’s next president, in a race pitting incumbent President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi against el-Ghad party chairperson Moussa Moustafa Moussa.

Voting is conducted over three days, and already began on Monday. The final day of voting will be tomorrow, Wednesday March 28. Polls will be open over a 12-hour period, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Voters can find their electoral committees through the official website of the National Election Authority.

According to the national authority, the presidential election will be supervised by 18,620 judges, including 8,420 regular judges, 4,800 administrative prosecutors, 3,300 judges from State Lawsuits Authority and 2,100 judges from State Council.

A number of regional and international organizations will participate in observing the presidential election nationwide. These organizations include: the Arab League, African Union, Organization of Islamic Cooperation, Euro-Mediterranean Parliamentary Assembly and COMESA-CENSAD.

The primary results of the first round of the election will be announced on March 29, where decisions on appeals submitted by candidates, if any, will be made.

The final results of the first round will be announced on April 2.

If there is a need to hold a run-off round, the Egyptian expats will cast their votes again on April 19-21.

The final 2018 presidential election results are expected to be announced on May 1, is a run-off round is needed.