2024 Egyptian Elections abroad concludes, votes counting results to be sent to NEA

CAIRO – 4 December 2024: Egypt’s National Elections Authority [NEA] announced the completion of the voting phase for Egyptians abroad in the 2024 presidential elections.

The Authority said that the votes counting has been completed as well.  And that the number of valid votes obtained by each Presidential candidate was determined and recorded in the documents and attached to all electoral process papers in sealed envelopes and sent to the NEA through Egypt’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Egyptian Elections abroad was conducted according to the electoral process over the days of (1, 2, and 3) December 2023, at the headquarters of Egyptian diplomatic missions, including embassies and consulates spread around the world.

The polling committees in the elections for Egyptians abroad were headed by ambassadors and consuls, assisted by members of the diplomatic missions, in implementation of the provisions of the law regulating presidential elections.

The electoral process was conducted in 137 electoral centers distributed in 121 countries around the world. The electoral headquarters were provided with all necessary equipment to ensure the proper conduct of the electoral process in its various procedures, facilitation for voters, and the transparency and integrity of voting.

The National Elections Authority directed that voting be conducted using the national ID card, even if it is expired, or through a valid passport including the national ID.

The Authority also created the Braille voting cards to make it easier for blind voters who wish to cast their votes, in order to enable them to exercise their right and participate.

The electoral center equipment included a sufficient number of glass boxes designated for voting inside each center, and places equipped with curtains inside which the voter casts his vote in a way that achieves the secrecy of the ballot.

Egyptian embassies and consulates abroad have opened their doors to receive voters wishing to cast their votes, on the specified voting dates, starting from 9 am until 9 pm over the three voting days.

According to the National Elections Authority’s operations room, a significant demand among Egyptian citizens was noticed whether residing outside the country or visitors, to participate and cast their votes.

The observation came as a result of following-up the course of the electoral process within the 137 polling stations designated for polling, over the course of its three days.

The Commission’s operations room was also keen to maintain constant and continuous communication with the embassies and consulates where the elections were held to find out all developments, and whether there were any obstacles or problems in the electoral process, or complaints received by the diplomats supervising the elections from citizens regarding the vote.

Egyptian embassies and consulates have adhered to the instructions of the National Elections Authority by never allowing any manifestation of electoral propaganda or influencing the will of voters inside the headquarters of the electoral centers or in their surroundings that are subject to their management and control.

Egypt’s Presidential election marathon kicked off on Thursday night [Cairo timing] in three different countries are: New Zealand, Australia and Japan, due to the time difference between them and Egypt, as Egyptians abroad were scheduled to be casting their votes on December 1-3, 2023.

The first country was New Zealand, as the Egyptian Embassy in Wellington opened its doors at 9 am local time to members of the Egyptian community seeking to cast their votes in the presidential election.

Other countries around the world followed according to its local timing for three days in a row. Voting outside Egypt was stated on December 1-3; from 9 am to 9 pm.

Candidates running for the presidency include incumbent President Abdel Fattah El Sisi, represented by a star symbol; as well as Farid Zahran, the Social Democratic Party candidate, with the electoral symbol of a sun.

This is in addition to Abdel Sanad Yamama, the candidate chosen by Egypt's oldest liberal party Al-Wafd, who is represented by the symbol of a palm tree; and Hazem Omar, the Republican People’s Party candidate, with a ladder symbol.