First moments of 2018 election ballot casting in Canberra

CAIRO – 16 March 2018: Egyptian influential daily Youm7 has published a video capturing the first moments of the 2018 presidential election ballot casting at the Egyptian embassy in Canberra, capital of Australia.

The Egyptian embassy in Canberra, capital of Australia, opened its doors for expatriates at 12am (Cairo time) on Friday to cast their ballots in the 2018 presidential election which will last for three days.

Consulates and embassies across the world are to officially open their doors Friday at 9am local time in each country.

The Egyptian embassy in New Zealand was the first to open to the electorate, given an 11 hour time difference with Cairo.

China, Japan, Russia and Indonesia would follow shortly throughout the night.

Egyptians at home are due on March 26-28 to cast their ballots in the country's 27 governorates.

The National Election Authority (NEA), headed by counselor Lashin Ibrahim, announced on February 24 the final list for Egypt’s upcoming presidential election including President Sisi and Moussa Moustafa Moussa, Head of al-Ghad Party.

Sisi showed his intention to run for president during his closing speech at the end of the three-day “Tale of a Homeland” conference, where the president and the Egyptian government presented an overview of the projects and achievements made in different fields during the last four years.

On his official Twitter account, Sisi called on the Egyptian people to participate intensively in the upcoming election and give their votes to whomever they see most eligible.

Sixty million eligible voters will cast their ballots in the election on March 26-28 in Egypt, while expatriates will vote on March 16-18 at 139 polling stations located in embassies and consulates of 124 countries, said Ibrahim in a press conference.

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.