CAIRO – 29 March 2018: Egypt’s presidential election, which took place between March 26 and 28, recorded a considerably high turnout of 40 percent as around 24 million people cast their vote nationwide over the last three days.

The 2018 presidential election witnessed a competition between only two candidates: incumbent President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi and head of the el-Ghad Party Moussa Moustafa Moussa.

As part of our coverage of the election process, Egypt Today presents the preliminary results from each governorate:

Red Sea

Initial figures showed that 104,606 votes were cast out of 336,954 registered voters; a turnout of 40.3 percent. Sisi led the polls with 114,827 votes, while Moussa received 6,045 votes. The invalid votes recorded 4.4%. Red Sea has 110 sub-polling stations and eight main polling stations.

Qena

Initial figures showed that 563,556 votes were cast out of 1,875,016 registered voters; a turnout of 30 percent. Sisi led the polls with 524,988 votes, while Moussa received 1,209 votes. The invalid votes recorded 26,499. Qena has 434 sub-polling station and 10 main polling stations.

Qalyubia

Initial figures showed that 1,326,417 votes were cast out of 3,048,951 registered voters; a turnout of 43 percent. Sisi led the polls with 1,168,596 votes, while Moussa received 1,209 votes. The invalid votes recorded 105,711. Qalyubia has 674 sub-polling station and 16 main polling stations.

Asyut

Initial figures showed that 1,012,577 votes were cast out of 2,563,259 registered voters; a turnout of 39.5 percent. Sisi led the polls with 934,129 votes, while Moussa received 41,128 votes. The invalid votes recorded 37,320. Asyut has 599 sub-polling station and 15 main polling stations.

Luxor

Initial figures showed that 253,108 votes were cast out of 781,017 registered voters; a turnout of 32.4 percent. Sisi led the polls with 237,151 votes, while Moussa received 5,669 votes. The invalid votes recorded 10,327. Luxor has 195 sub-polling station and six main polling stations.

Minya

Initial figures showed that 1,376,647 votes were cast out of 3,209,023 registered voters; a turnout of 42.9 percent. Sisi led the polls with 1,229,214 votes, while Moussa received 49,677 votes. The invalid votes recorded 97,656. Minya has 715 sub-polling station and 13 main polling stations.

New Valley

Initial figures showed that 1,376,647 votes were cast out of 168,863 registered voters; a turnout of 58.7 percent. Sisi led the polls with 85,866 votes, while Moussa received 4,117 votes. The invalid votes recorded 9,141. New Valley has 61 sub-polling station and five main polling stations.

South Sinai

Initial figures showed that 52,521 votes were cast out of 101,742 registered voters; a turnout of 51.6 percent. Sisi led the polls with 45,090 votes, while Moussa received 2,053 votes. The invalid votes recorded 5,378. South Sinai has 18 sub-polling station and nine main polling stations.

Menoufia

Initial figures showed that 1,207,613 votes were cast out of 2,514,278 registered voters; a turnout of 48 percent. Sisi led the polls with 1,138,565 votes, while Moussa received 22,746 votes. Menoufia has 596 sub-polling station and 12 main polling stations.

Suez

Initial figures showed that 176,540 votes were cast out of 441,772 registered voters; a turnout of 39.9 percent. Sisi led the polls with 145,354 votes, while Moussa received 6,961 votes. The invalid votes recorded 24,625. Suez has 87 sub-polling station and five main polling stations.

Beheira

Initial figures showed that 1,728,622 votes were cast out of 3,730,211 registered voters; a turnout of 46.3 percent. Sisi led the polls with 1,568,378 votes, while Moussa received 43,817 votes. The invalid votes recorded 116,436. Beheira has 885 sub-polling station and 18 main polling stations.

Gharbia

Initial figures showed that 969,434 votes were cast out of 2,124,427 registered voters; a turnout of 45.6 percent. Sisi led the polls with 910,810 votes, while Moussa received 23,673 votes. The invalid votes recorded 34,951. Gharbia has 578 sub-polling station and 14 main polling stations.

Kafr El Sheikh

Initial figures showed that 969,434 votes were cast out of 2,124,427 registered voters; a turnout of 45.6 percent. Sisi led the polls with 910,810 votes, while Moussa received 23,673 votes. The invalid votes recorded 34,951. Kafr El Sheikh has 578 sub-polling station and 14 main polling stations.

Alexandria

Initial figures showed that 1,491,533 votes were cast out of 3,834,698 registered votes; a turnout of 39 percent. Sisi led the polls with 1311356 votes, while Moussa received 40,853 votes. Alexandria has 681 sub-polling station and 18 main polling stations.

Matrouh

Initial figures showed that 103,584 votes were cast out of 272,397 registered voters; a turnout of 38 percent. Sisi led the polls with 88,370 votes, while Moussa received 4,211 votes. The invalid votes recorded 11,003. Matrouh has 149 sub-polling station and eight main polling stations.

Sohag

Initial figures showed that 931,805 votes were cast out of 2,860,973 registered voters; a turnout of 32.5 percent. Sisi led the polls with 855,391 votes, while Moussa received 25,229 votes. The invalid votes recorded 51,115. Sohag has 781 sub-polling station and 18 main polling stations.

Dakahlia

Initial figures showed that 1,918,187 votes were cast out of 4,095,729 registered voters; a turnout of 38.7 percent. Sisi led the polls with 1,783,403 votes, while Moussa received 36,967 votes. The invalid votes recorded 97,817. Dakahlia has 983 sub-polling station and 23 main polling stations.

Beni Suef

Initial figures showed that 814,135 votes were cast out of 1,741,507 registered voters; a turnout of 46.78 percent. Sisi led the polls with 727,895 votes, while Moussa received 26,681 votes. Beni Suef has 514 sub-polling stations and nine main polling stations.

Ismailia

Initial figures showed that 354,991 votes were cast out of 833,779 registered voters; a turnout of 42 percent. Sisi led the polls with 297,551 votes, while Moussa received 9696 votes. The invalid votes recorded 28,460. Ismailia has 222 sub-polling station and 10 main polling stations.

Faiyum

Initial figures showed that 764,787 votes were cast out of 1,854,176 registered voters; a turnout of 41.2 percent. Sisi led the polls with 732,609 votes, while Moussa received 25,883 votes. Faiyum has 424 sub-polling stations and nine main polling stations.

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Turnout

With the election looming, Sisi publicly called for record voter participation in an effort to boost the election's legitimacy. Turnout was moderate with relatively long queues outside polling stations, most of them elderly and female. Media outlets released several photos of women standing in lines waiting to cast their ballots. Other pictures and videos showed them dancing in front of polling stations and raising the Egyptian flag, along with pictures of President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi.

Media figures, officials and actors have all called on Egyptians to partake in the election, calling it a national duty. Many of them went on to highlight that even if people disagree with the country’s current situation, they should look beyond their personal grievances for the country’s best interest.

Several officials and Members of Parliament said that Egyptians who did not vote would be fined LE 500.

Regulations

Candidates were able to apply for nomination to stand in the presidential election between January 20 and 29, 2018. The final list of candidates approved by the National Election Authority (NEA) was announced on February 24. Candidates were allowed to spend a maximum of LE 20 million for campaigning and to accept campaign donations of up to two percent of the total allowed campaign expenditures.

Political Rights Law No. 45 of 2014, constrains the content of campaigns, including prohibitions on the use of religious slogans, calls for discrimination or threats to national unity.

Egyptians who are above the age of 18 have the right to vote; there were 59 million eligible voters for this year’s presidential election. Active members of the Armed Forces and police are not allowed to vote.

Article 2 of the Political Rights Law (Law 45/2014) bans from voting those who suffer from mental disorders or are under judicial interdiction, or who have been convicted of a felony.

The first round of voting was held for Egyptians abroad on March 16-18. Voting inside Egypt was conducted for three days on March 26-28. Polls were opened over a twelve-hour period, from 9am till 9pm (local time), except the last day as the voting was extended to 10pm.

According to the NEA, 59 million Egyptians out of a population of 104 million (including those abroad and in the country's 27 governorates) are eligible to vote.

The preliminary results of the first round of the election are scheduled for 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, Egyptian expats will cast their votes again on April 19-21. Those in Egypt will cast their votes on April 24-26. The final 2018 presidential election result is expected to be announced on May 1, if a run-off round is necessary.