Less than half of round one voters turn up in run-off of phase two of elections abroad

Wednesday 02-12-2015 11:39 AM
Less than half of round one voters turn up in run-off of phase two of elections abroad

An Egyptian woman living abroad casting her vote in the first phase of the 2015 parliamentary elections, on Oct 18, 2015. REUTERS/

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CAIRO, Dec.2 (Aswat Masriya) - Turn out in the run-off of the second phase of parliamentary elections abroad was approximately 17,000, according to Omar Marwan, spokesman of the Supreme Electoral Commission (SEC).

The number of voters who cast their ballots in the run-off represents 46 percent of the 37,168 voters who showed up in the first round, in a poll generally marked by voter apathy.

The first round of the second phase, however, had seen a 22 percent increase in voter turnout compared to the first phase, said the head of the committee and deputy foreign minister Hamdy Loza in November. 

According to the SEC, the total number of Egyptian expatriates who voted in the first round of the first phase of legislative elections was 30,531 in 139 embassies and consulates across the world.

The number of Egyptians living abroad is estimated at 8 million.

The second phase of elections covers 13 province: Cairo, Qalyubia, Daqahliyah, Menoufia, Gharbia, Kafr el-Sheikh, Sharqiya, Damietta, Port Said, Ismailia, Suez, North Sinai and South Sinai. 

Today is the last day of voting in run-offs inside Egypt, where 426 candidates are competing over 213 individual seats.  

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