Egypt Presidential Election Day 2 Results

Voters look for their name at a polling location.
(Photograph by Mahmoud Taha, copied from  Egypt Independent)

Across Egypt, polls were far less busy today on the 2nd Day of the Presidential Election.  Low voter turnout today had representatives and candidates making public appeals to get out and vote.  One man interviewed in the Sinai said that people in that region may not fully understand democracy and find themselves following patriarchal traditions that the say of the tribal leader is their vote.

Stories that we've seen throughout the day feature multiple reports of influence, coercion, and even bribes before the election and at the polling centers, including:

• A supporter of Muslim Brotherhood candidate Morsy distributing meat, sugar, beans, lentils, and oil to voters
• A supporter of Shafiq (former Prime Minister) distributing cash to voters near a polling center
• A Coptic voter reported that her priest and monks gave instructions on Wednesday to vote for Shafiq
• And multiple reports that the Freedom and Justice Party (Muslim Brotherhood) and supporters of Abouel Fotouh were using children to distribute literature with their pictures outside of polling centers.  This is illegal activity for polling centers on election days; naval personnel reportedly removed new posters from these candidates that were hung in the night at polling centers in Alexandria.  It is speculated that children were used because they would be less likely to be reported or arrested.

Another mid-afternoon report stated that a 72-year old gentleman collapsed outside of his polling center while looking for his name on the voters list.  He later died in the ambulance while en route to the hospital.

There were a few handicapped and wheel-chair bound citizens who could not access their polling area.

In protest to shortages of bread and butane cylinders, citizens in two Upper Egypt towns near Assuit are boycotting the election for the second day.

Candidates Moussa and Shafiq, who many feel are attempting to appeal to the same demographics, exchanged jabs via their campaigns' official Twitter accounts today.  Apparently, Moussa's campaign stated they were waiting for Shafiq to officially withdraw today to boost his chances.  Shafiq's campaign replied through their Twitter account, "It seems that Mr. Amr Moussa is suffering from electoral hallucinations."

Some reports of violence have occurred the past couple days.  Today, a pair of Shafiq supporters were treated for wounds after a verbal altercation with Morsy supporters turned violent with rocks, sticks, and eventually swords!  A Foutouh supporter filed complaints and reports with a police department for head injuries he suffered at the hands of Morsy supporters outside of a polling location.

What about the results?
The polls will remain open until 9 pm this evening.  All incomplete ballots will be sealed in a box and transported by military personnel as a safeguard against voting fraud during the counting process.  The counting process of cast ballots will begin this evening at each polling location in the presence of representatives of each candidate, media members, and select NGO representatives.

Members of various youth revolutionary groups have begun a sit-in in Tahrir Square until the announcement of the results of the election.  Their goal, according to reports, is to be a visible warning to the military to not interfere with the will of the people or to try to corrupt the election by letting someone affiliated with Mubarak win.

The last part of that goal is consistent with ongoing statements by various groups that say they will protest a victory by either Shafiq or Moussa (both served parts of the former Mubarak government).  Moussa was asked about these sentiments this evening and replied, "When the people vote, those who go against the will of the people are wrong."

According to an unofficial exit poll announced about 8 pm, which is likely to be widely debated, the results of todays voters have been much closer:
Morsy 26%
Moussa 25%
Shafiq 18%
Sabbahi 12%
Foutouh 10%

If yesterday and today's exit polls are remotely correct, then it is not likely that any of the 11 candidates captured 51+% of the vote in this election.  As a result, a runoff election would be held on June 16-17 between the top two candidates; again, if the exit polls are correct, then that would be a vote for Egyptians  between Morsy and Moussa.

But we will have to await the official declaration from the Elections Commission.  As soon as we see/hear that report, we will post the news here.


Continue to pray for Egypt...