Quietness characterizes the first hours of Egypt’s Parliamentary Elections 2015

Cairo 18th October 2015
Quietness characterizes the first hours of Egypt’s Parliamentary Elections 2015
In its framework of monitoring elections from a gender perspective, the Egyptian Center for Women’s Rights (ECWR) follows up on the first stage of voting in Egypt’s Parliamentary Election 2015, which takes off on the 18th of October covering 14 governorates.
The 14 governorates include “Giza, Fayoum, Beni Suef, Minya, Assiut, New Valley, Sohag, Qena, Luxor, Aswan, Red Sea, Beheira, Alexandria and Marsa Matrouh.”
The number of eligible voters in the first stage is around 27 million voters in the 14 governorates. The voting process shall take place on the 18th and 19h of October from 9 am to 9 pm.
The number of female candidates running for the individual seats is 110 candidates from a total of 2573 which represents a mere 4.2%.
Meanwhile, 100 female candidates running through the 8 party lists in this stage which is West Al Delta sector, which include Alexandria, Beheira and Marsa Matrouh.
The Party lists are:
– Fih Hob Masr (For the love of Egypt)
– Egyptian Front Coalition and Independent Current
– Forsan Masr (Knights of Egypt)
– Nour Party
On the level of upper Egypt( North, South and Middle), which includes the Giza – Fayoum, Beni Suef, Minya, Assiut, New Valley, Sohag, Qena, Luxor, Aswan, and the Red Sea sector.
– National Awakening Bloc
– Fih Hob Masr (For the love of Egypt)
– Egyptian front Coalition
– Nidaa Masr
Through the following up of ECWR field observers, these violation were reported:
Delay in the opening of some polling stations
– In Fayoum governorate, some polling stations were delayed as Third Primary School which was opened for voting at 9:30 am.
– In Giza governorate in Badrasheen electoral district, Khalil Lamei Primary School in Abou Seer (Polling station number 64), the polling station was opened at 11:02 am.
– In Qena governorate, Abdel Wahab school (polling station number 108) was opened for voters at 9:49 am.
Calm is the dominant feature in most governorates
Most polling stations are with a low turnout of female voters such as Beni Suief governorate, Beiba district in the polling stations of Tahfeez Qur’an stations (number 61, 62, 63) the Health office station and in Fayoum governorate, Third primary school.
Influencing voters
– In Alexandria, Sidi Gaber district, Cleopatra Preparatory Girls School, a candidate entered the polling station to campaign for himself.
– In Alexandria, Sidi Gaber district, Abbas Al Akkad (polling station number 71), one of the candidates’ representative is trying to influence voters.
– In Alexandria the fifth electoral district, Barash Baladeyah School – Al Hadra polling station number 69, one of the candidates’ representative is trying to influence voters too select Al Nour Party.
– Similarly, in the same fifth district, Semouha Commercial School, polling stations number 34 and 35, one of the candidates’ representative attempted to influence voters and a case was filed on this issue.
– In Giza, one of the candidates was trying to influence voters to vote for him in front of the Ahmed Orabi School in Haram Street, which is against the law
Administrative errors
– In Alexandria, the tenth individual district in Borg Al Arab, the candidate Salwa Abdel Qader informed ECWR that her number in the list was changed with prior notice due to the withdrawal of one of the candidates. She discovered today, on the prime of first Election Day, that her number was changed from 31 to 30 which caused some turbulence with the voters. This will affect the number of votes she receives. She filed a complaint and the incident will be proven with High Elections Committee (HEC).
Continuation of Electoral Campaigning

– In Alexandria, Sidi Gaber district, Abbas Al Akkad School, polling station number 71, electoral campaigning of one of the candidates continued in front of the polling station. In addition, the Judge left the station and went outside to talk to the voters.
Prevention of some representatives to enter the polling stations
– In Beni Sueif governorate, Sodes Omraa Primary School in Sodes Omraa village, the judge prevented the observers along with holders of procuration from entering the polling stations
Mobilizing voters
– In Beni Sueif governorate, Aboshoy district, Sinarfouf area, there was mobilization of voters.
To contact ECWR operation room:
01099971723,
01008803362,
25282176
Or through ECWR’s Facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/ECWRonline?fref=ts