Egypt’s NEA denies extending referendum on constitutional amendments for 4th day

CAIRO- 22 April 2019: The National Elections Authority (NEA) has denied a number of referendum-related rumors that surfaced over the past days, one of them was claiming that the voting process will be extended by a fourth day.

Deputy head and spokesperson of the National Elections Authority Mahmoud el-Sherif stated that the rumors spread on social media are meant to negatively "affect the voters and undermine their determination to participate in the referendum...especially after the world has witnessed the large turnout by the Egyptians to vote."

Sherif called on citizens to head to polling stations Monday to practice their constitutional right and national duty.

The third and last day of the referendum on a set of proposed constitutional amendments in Egypt kicked off Monday, while the process has concluded abroad on Sunday. Embassies and consulates have embarked in the vote count procedures.

The referendum nationwide is held under full judicial supervision with the participation of 19,339 judges.

Various civil society organizations, local and international media outlets are following up the three-day referendum.

The referendum includes voting on amending 12 articles of the Constitution.

Resident Egyptians are invited to vote on April 20 - 22. The parliament passed a draft to amend and add 25 articles to the constitution. Those are mainly on the length of presidential terms, introduction of a senate, quotas in the House of Representatives, the selection mechanisms of courts presidents, and the role of the Egyptian Armed Forces.

The electoral database includes 61, 344, 503 citizens. Of which, 30,446,134 are women. The number of polling places is 10,878. The voting process is observed by 15,324 judges, who are actually present in the polling places, and administered by 120,000 employees.