On Sunday, 67 million Egyptian voters will cast their votes in the 2024 presidential elections, which are scheduled to take place on 10, 11, and 12 December. Polling stations will open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

The National Elections Committee (NEC) has finalized all preparations for the presidential elections, setting up approximately 11,631 sub-polling committees within 9,376 electoral centers, including schools, youth centers, and health units.

The candidates running in the race include the incumbent President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi, Abdel-Sanad Yamama (head of the Wafd Party), Hazem Omar (head of the Republican People’s Party), and Farid Zahran (head of the Egyptian Democratic Party).

A total of 15,000 judges from various judicial authorities will oversee the electoral process, including the heads of subcommittees or preservation committees.

The NEC has announced that the vote-counting process will occur within the sub-polling committees after the third day of voting.

If the elections are decided in the first round, the results will be announced on 18 December. In the event of a runoff, the elections for Egyptians abroad will be held on 5, 6, and 7 January 2024, and for Egyptians inside Egypt on 8, 9, and 10 January. The results of the runoff will be declared on 16 January 2024.

Special considerations have been made by the NEC to facilitate voting for the elderly and voters with special needs, including the strategic placement of sub-polling committees to accommodate their requirements and ensure a smooth voting process. Written instructions for voters with hearing disabilities and Braille voting cards for blind voters have been provided at all polling stations.

The NEC has extended invitations to all diplomatic missions in Egypt to observe the electoral process. To date, 24 embassies and 67 diplomats have registered to monitor the elections. Additionally, 14 international organizations have been authorized to participate, with 220 of their representatives accredited. Furthermore, 62 local civil society organizations have been registered, with 22,340 of their members receiving permits to observe the elections.

The media presence for the presidential elections includes 528 international observers from 115 media outlets, along with 70 local media outlets. A total of 4,218 journalists and media professionals have been granted permits.

The electoral silence commenced on Friday and will last for 48 hours, as per the electoral timetable and procedures. During this period, no candidate or their official campaign is permitted to engage in any promotional activities or discuss their electoral programme.

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