Egyptian elections few weeks away: Here’s what you need to know about voting

CAIRO – 13 November 2023: Millions of Egyptians are eligible to vote in Egypt’s 2024 Presidential Elections, which is scheduled to start two weeks from now.

According to the timetable announced by the National Election Authority, Egyptians residing abroad will cast their ballot in the elections from 1-3 December, while voting inside the country will take place from 10-12 December.

Four presidential candidates are competing in this election, including incumbent President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, who has been in post for two terms since 2014.

Other candidates are Farid Zahran, head of the Egyptian Social Democratic Party; Abdel Sanad Yamama, Head of Al-Wafd Party, and Hazem Omar, head of the Republican People’s Party.

Next Wednesday is the deadline for candidates willing to withdraw from the presidential race.

What's happening now and what's next?

Currently, the candidates have started their political campaigns and electoral propaganda with their banners spreading across the Egyptian governorates.

The laws regulating the elections set the maximum ceiling for electoral propaganda in the presidential elections at LE 20 million ahead of the presidential race and LE 5 million in case runoff elections were required.

 

Electoral silence will start on 29 November abroad and on 8 December in Egypt.

The candidates’ banners carry their presidential symbols, with President Sisi maintaining the star symbol, while Zahran holds the sun symbol and Yamama and Omar hold the palm tree and ladder symbols respectively.

How to vote in Egypt?

In order to vote in the elections, you have to inquire about your polling station, which is determined based on your area of residence.

You can use one of five ways to know your polling station:

- First: Visit the election authority’s website: https://www.elections.eg/

- Second: Visit the authority’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/neaegypt/

- Third: Contact the authority via its email: elections@nea.gov.eg

- Fourth: Dial 141

- Fifth: Send an SMS on 5151

How to vote abroad

Egyptian voters abroad have to visit the embassy or consulate in his country of residence with a national ID card or a valid passport to make sure he is registered in the voter database.

The voter will then take his ballot card to the place designated for voting in the embassy or consulate, where he can cast his vote with ease.

Who is eligible for voting?

- Citizens who are at least 18 years old

- Citizens who fully enjoy their political and civil rights

- Citizens who are listed in the voter database

- Armed Forces and police personnel are excluded from election voter lists throughout their service

Who cannot vote in the elections?

- Citizens who were convicted of tax evasion or had their assets confiscated

- Citizens under guardianship or suffering from mental or psychological disorders

- Citizens detained on charges of bribing witnesses or committing a crime to evade military service

- Citizens detained on charges of theft, fraud, breach of trust, bribery, forgery, or giving false testimony

- Citizens dismissed from government service for committing a crime involving moral turpitude or dishonesty

- Citizens who were found guilty of disrupting political life