Overview of voting rights in Egypt

CAIRO – 10 January 2018: The number of citizens eligible to vote in the presidential elections taking place in March is 58 million citizens until now; names can still be excluded or added as per legal guidelines. This is an overview of the election process.

Database of eligible voters

The database is set depending on three sources. The first is Civil Affairs Authority affiliated with the Ministry of Interior as it possesses records of all citizens above the age of 18. The second is the Public Prosecution which makes lists of citizens denied of political rights. The third is the Passports, Emigration, and Nationality Administration at the Ministry of Interior responsible for lists of those who acquired the nationality more than five years ago.

Voting Rights Law in Egypt

Article 1:

Any Egyptian citizen who is over the age of 18 has the following political rights:

First: Voting in any referendum stated in the constitution.

Second: Electing the President of the Arab Republic of Egypt, Members of the House of Representatives, and Members of Municipal Councils.

All officers and personnel in the armed forces and the police are EXEMPTED from voting in any elections or referenda while still in service.

Article 2:

Conditions that temporarily deny citizens voting rights are as follows:

Section 1

1) Citizens under guardianship for mental illness.
2) Patients in mental healthcare institutions in accordance with Law 71/2009.

Section 2

1) Convicts of tax evasion.
2) Convicts of corruption of political life.
3) Citizens whose properties and savings have been confiscated by a court ruling.
4) Former civil and public sector employees who were dismissed for committing a criminal offence.
5) Convicts of fraud or default.
6) Convicts of any crime.
7) Citizens who served prison sentences.

The Ministry of Interior will be securing all polling locations and providing them with wheelchairs to help old citizens and the disabled.

The National Electoral Commission (NEC) announced on Monday the 2018 Presidential Elections timetable. Potential candidates are allowed to submit their applications on January 20 – 29. The final list of the candidates will be announced on February 24.

Voting will take place for three days starting March 26 domestically, while it will begin on March 16 for expats from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. in each country’s local time. The winning candidate will be announced on April 2.

According to Article 140 of the Egyptian Constitution, electoral procedures should begin a minimum of 120 days before the end of the current presidential term and the president-elect should be announced a minimum of 30 days before the end of the previous president’s term. The current presidential term will end in June 2018.

Electoral procedures consist of receiving and scrutinizing applications and appeals, as well as setting the electoral lists and campaign regulations.

The National Elections Authority is an independent institution running all types of elections and referenda in the country, currently chaired by Chancellor Lashin Ibrahim Mohamed, who also serves as vice-president of the Court of Cassation.

Egypt’s National Electoral Commission launched an official website for both the parliamentary and presidential elections. The new website aims to publish all the resolutions and recommendations pertaining to the elections, in addition to the voting guides for Egyptians inside and outside Egypt.

President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi is the sixth president of Egypt. He came to office in June 2014 after the revolution of June 30, which toppled former President Mohamed Morsi, who is affiliated with the now-outlawed Muslim Brotherhood.