Egyptian embassies worldwide open doors for expats to cast ballots in runoff elections

The Egyptian embassies and consulates opened their doors early Monday to receive Egyptian expats to cast their votes in the runoff elections of the second phase of the parliamentary elections to run over two days.

As many as 139 premises of embassies and consulates have finalized all their preparations for receiving the voters in the first elections to be held in Egypt since June 30 revolution 2013.

Elections will not be held in four countries; Yemen, Syria, Libya and the Central African Republic due to the security turmoil there.

The Egyptian Foreign Ministry is following up the voting process round the clock as members of the foreign ministry staff along with members of the Higher Election Committee have allocated an operation room for this purpose.

The second round of parliamentary elections covered the 13 governorates of Cairo, Qalioubiya, Daqahliya, Menoufiya, Gharbiya, Kafr el Sheikh, Sharqiya, Damietta, Port Said, Ismailia, Suez, North Sinai and South Sinai.

Egyptian expatriates will vote in the runoff elections on Monday and Tuesday

Runoffs will be held on December 1-2 for Egyptian at home, and on November 30 to December 1 for Egyptian expatriates.

Some 27.5 million voters are eligible to cast their vote in the second round compared to 25.5 million in the first stage.

As many as 222 independent parliamentary seats will be available in this vote, with 2,847 candidates competing in 102 constituencies. In addition there are 60 seats which will be filled by whichever party list secures a majority in two constituencies: Cairo and the Middle and South Delta (which has 45 seats), and East Delta (with 15 seats).

Four electoral coalitions competed for the 45-seat Cairo and Delta constituency with 180 candidates or 45 each: “For the Love of Egypt”, the Nour Party, the Egyptian Front and Independence Current Alliance, and the Republican Alliance of Social Forces.

The first round of the polls ended up by a turnout reported at 26.56 percent.
New Valley governorate scored the highest turnout with 37 percent of registered voters participating in the elections, while Giza had the lowest turnout with 21 percent.

The "For the love of Egypt" electoral list won the party-based list seats in the first stage of Egypt's parliamentary elections.
The coming parliament will be made up of 596 seats, with 448 seats elected through the individual candidacy system, 120 elected through winner-take-all party lists and 28 selected by the president.

Sources: MENA