presidential elections 2012

Live updates: Egypt first post-Mubarak presidential elections kick off

Day one of Egypt's presidential elections begins at 8am (6am GMT); Follow Ahram Online's live coverage from the start of polling for a blow-by-blow account of these historic elections

Ahram Online, Wednesday 23 May 2012

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15:38 Abul-Fotouh and Mursi campaigners in 6 October City told Ahram Online correspondent Yasmine ‎Walli 

that they will not only observe the election process and protect the ‎polling station but also oversee the vote count.‎

Mohamed El-Fiqi, the judge at the Zayed Secondary School, told Ahram Online that he has not observed any 

violations ‎since the start of polling, adding that there has been a high voter turnout.

15:24 The Muslim Brotherhood's Ikhwanonline.com account tweets about leading Freedom and Justice
 Party MP Mohamed El-Beltagy:

"After casting his vote, Beltagy says 'we have been waiting for this day for 7,000 years'"

15:02 Rami Salah, the coordinator of Sabbahi's campaign in South Cairo, speaking from the
 Mokattam district's Gabal Al-Sabah School, tells us that Sabbahi has received a majority of the
 votes, while the Brotherhood's Mursi was favoured by constituents in two other schools in the
same district. Salah also stressed that the April 6 Youth Movement is helping Sabbahi's campaign
in the Khalifa area.

Al Jazeera English reporter Rawya Rageh says Mahmoud Al-Zahar, a Hamas leader, has arrived in the canal city of Ismailia to cast his ballot in the elections.
Al-Zahar obtained Egyptian nationality because his mother is of Egyptian descent. Al-Zahar 

stated in an earlier statement that he intended to travel to Egypt in order to vote for an Islamist candidate.
Abul-Fotouh, Mursi and El-Awa are the three Islamist candidates in Egypt's presidential election.

15:00 Egyptian activist and creator of the influential Facebook page "We are all Khaled Said", Wael
 Ghonim tweets:

"I just voted for AbolFotoh :)" 

14:42 A campaign billboard of presidential candidate Mohamed Mursi in Greater Cairo's Sheikh 
Zayed district, is reversed as it violates electoral law. Lobbying was officially suspended Monday, 
48 hours ahead of the elections. 

Mursi billboard is reversed as it violates electoral law, Sheikh Zayed (Photo: Yasmine Walli)

14:36 Ahmed Shafiq talks about the dangers of an Islamist victory, AFP reports:

"Former premier Ahmed Shafiq, told AFP Wednesday the country would face 'huge 

problems' if his Islamist rivals won as Egyptians flocked to the polls on the first day of voting.
Shafiq added that voters had made a 'mistake' by allowing the Muslim Brotherhood to win in 

earlier parliamentary elections.Shafiq, who also held a news conference to disprove last 

minute rumours suggesting he was ill, said he was gaining support because voters believed he could 'stop' the powerful Muslim Brotherhood.
His main rivals include ex-foreign minister and Arab League chief Amr Moussa, former Brotherhood member Abdel-Moneim Abul-Fotouh and the Brotherhood's representative Mohammed Mursi.
'There would be a huge problem,' Shafiq told AFP when asked about the prospect of a Muslim Brotherhood or Islamist victory.
'The Brotherhood has proved in the past months that it is completely rejected by the Egyptian people,' he said.
'The Egyptian people made a big mistake in trusting the Brotherhood, and now we are suffering from their actions,' he added."

Shafiq was referred to the general-prosecutor Wednesday afternoon for holding an illegal campaign
press conference.

14:29 In 6 October City, an army officer has kicked out two people for talking about candidates 

while queuing. This is the only violation confirmed thus far by our correspondent in the satellite 

neighbourhood. Constituents are reportedly pleased with the electoral process.

In the Twitter-verse, Brookings Doha Center Director Shadi Hamid tweets from Abul-Fotouh's campaign headquarters: 

"Abul Futouh supporter tells me he's worried AF is a lot of ppl's 2nd choice, which will hurt him if ppl don't vote strategically. #egypt"

14:24 Ahram Online reporter Nada El-Kouny covering the Tabari School in Cairo's Sheraton 

neighbourhood spoke to monitors associated with African-Egyptian human rights NGOs. The

 monitors inform her that as of now the electoral process has proceeded smoothly in the five

 schools they've visited.

Observers are checking faces of women in niqab. They have, however, received a complaint
 from one of their colleagues about Shafiq and Moussa campaign posters. The police eventually 
tore down the posters.
14:13 We've just received confirmation from Egypt's interior ministry of the death of a police 
officer in Cairo's working class district of Rod Al-Farag, after he was shot in front of a polling station Wednesday morning.

Corporal Ahmed Abdel-Mawla was hit in the chest by a stray gunshot during a street fight between 

armed civilians on Wednesday morning, a ministry statement announced.

The driver of a passing car was also wounded in the crossfire.The ministry's statement added that
police officers pursued and captured three of the participants. Two were carrying firearms when
apprehended.
Preliminary investigations say that the fight erupted early on Wednesday, sparked by an initial, short
brawl between a tuk-tuk driver and a passenger over a disputed fare. The disgruntled passenger is
 said to have returned with several companions to exact retaliation against the driver. The fight
escalated and firearms were used.
Local sources told Ahram Online that neither the shooting of the corporal nor the fight itself was
 related to Wednesday's presidential elections. A local polling station judge also denied there being any connection.
14:02 Ahram Online reporter in Kafr Al-Sheikh says that a judge booted out one of Hamdeen Sabbahi's
 observers from a polling station, after he objected to a Mohamed Mursi campaigner misinforming an
 illiterate man, who wanted to vote for the Nasserist contender, that Sabbahi's electoral symbol (the
 eagle) was Mursi's (the scales).
14:01 In the coastal governorate of Marsa Matrouh, 240 km west of Alexandria, Al-Ahram reporter
 Ahmed Nafadi describes the turn out as "low."

"Tight security measurements can be witnessed outside all polling stations" says Nafadi, 

"while the army is providing wheel chairs to elderly and handicapped voters".

According to Nafadi, the low turnout can be attributed to the long distances that many voters must
 travel in order reach their polling stations.

 "Some voters from the Siwa oasis have to travel up to 12 kilometres to reach their polling stations."

13:50 Hamdeen Sabbahi was involved in an argument with a man in his late 20s, according to
 Ahram Online's Yasmine Fathi, while queuing at Al-Sayeda Khadiga School, when the younger
man tried to jump the queue.The Nasserist candidate reacted emotionally, telling the young 
man things have changed and every citizen must take wait their turn. 

13:45 At a polling station in Cairo's working class district of Imbaba, a woman judge, Nadia El-Shahawi, told 
Ahram Online that she has witnessed only one electoral violation.  Mohamed Mursi campaigners tried to promote 
the Muslim Brotherhood candidate inside the polling station before the judges kicked them out.

13:35 According to state media, SCAF head and de-facto ruler of the country, Field Marshal Mohamed Hussein 
Tantawi is following the elections process from his head office in the Ministry of Defence, accomapanied by SCAF 
deputy and Chief of Staff of the armed forces, Sami Anan.

SCAF's generals have been keeping a close eye on electoral proceedings, according to Al-Ahram's Arabic news
 website: Mohamed El-Assar is overseeing the governorate of Cairo; Mokhtar El-Molla, Gharbiya; Ismail Itman, 
Menoufiya; Salaheddin Abdel-Qader, Beheira; Sami Sadeq,  Alexandria; Kamel Abdel-Hadi, Mansoura and Shebl
El-Gamsi, Port Said.

“Today is like a carnival for all Egyptians. They are selecting their president freely for the first time,” El-Assar told media,
 adding that “SCAF members are following the procedures everywhere, making sure that all constituencies are secured
 and no violation of any kind occurs.”

13:25 Our reporter in Manshiyat Nasser tells us there are no observers or NGOs monitoring 
the elections there. However, there are representatives of Shafiq, Mursi and Sabbahi.

13:21 Wellknown activist Gigi Ibrahim summarises one aspect of public opinion in this tweet: 

"Every person using the martyrs names for this day ‪#EgyElections‬ ..F*** YOU!"

She went on to add, "Martyrs died for bread, freedom, and social equality, when those 

things are established then praise & thank them otherwise shut up, please"

 

13:19 Al-Ahram's Arabic news website says activists at a polling station in the working ‎class 
area of Al-Talbiya in Cairo's Haram district are distributing anti-Mubarak regime flyers.

With ‎a photo of Gamal Mubarak and the now-defunct National Democratic Party's logo on ‎one
 side and text reading, "Since Gamal couldn't run in these elections, you can vote for these 
candidates instead" on the other, activists hope to dissuade voters from casting their ballots 
for Mubarak-era ministers Amr Moussa and Ahmed Shafiq.‎

13:08 We have our first bits of news from the well-to-do district of Heliopolis, where women
casting their votes in Korba are standing in long, winding queues. Yet again it seems that
Egyptian women are more zealously embracing their enfranchisement.

Some are carrying their toddlers and trying to explain the importance of this day. Others are
wearing their swimming suits underneath their clothes, ready to enjoy the remainder of their holiday.

Even Korba shops were enthusiastic: bakery shop TBS offered Heliopolis residents free
breakfast (croissant and Danish) after they cast their vote and showed their inked fingers as
 proof. TBS Maadi is also extending this offer. 

Baraka, a large sunglass chain, are also offering incentives for voters, tendering a tremendous
 discount on designer sunglasses if you vote and show your inked finger. It's certainly good to
be politically conscious in these wealthier areas...

Al-Orouba School, a Heliopolis polling station allocated for women, witnessed some
disorganisation but voter turnout was high nonetheless. The female judge sought the help
 of an Abul-Fotouh campaign observers, asking them to be responsible for distributing the
 electoral registeration numbers of the constituents after their original numbers were changed.

When asked, the judge told Ahram Online that this is not illegal as long as the campaigner is
 standing outside the polling station while still within the school's walls. She said she has
documented this fact and everybody has the right to file a complaint to the electoral commission
 if they believe she acted inappropriately.

Certain actions by the Abul-Fotouh campaigner caused a voter to voice displeasure; a verbal
 spat ensued, causing security forces to step and contain the situation.

12:55 Presidential candidate Hamdeen Sabbahi arrived at the Al-Sayeda Khadiga School in
Cairo's upscale Mohandiseen.  He stated that the elections so far are transparent and that
he has witnessed very few violations. The Nasserist candidate also sounds his satisfaction
at voters' positive attitudes. Sabbahi also stressed he will accept the results of the election
no matter what.

12:47 In Alexandria, Egypt's second city, some polling stations opened late due to the tardy
 arrival of judges, a procedural problem that occurred frequently during parliamentary elections.

The Activists Without Limits movement, which is monitoring the election, reports violations in
 the coastal city by members of the Muslim Brotherhood who are backing Mohamed Mursi.

Alexandria's popular districts have seen high turnout in comparison to middle and upper
 middle class areas. However, more voters are expected to turn out in the afternoon.

Elsewhere, North Sinai has seen high turnout since early morning, especially in Al-Arish. 
Judges at polling stations are only allowing accredited journalists to ply their trade.

12:37 In a flagrant breach of electoral law, presidential candidate Ahmed Shafiq tells journalists
 gathered in a campaign press conference at his lush villa/ headquarters in Dokki that "he is
a man with an honourable history."

Within minutes, the Supreme Presidential Electoral Commission referred Mubarak's former
 prime minster to the prosecutor-general's office, as all campaign activity was officially suspended
on Monday ahead of Wednesday's vote.

Shafiq began the presser by dispelling yesterday's rumours that he was in a coma after being shot,
 which he believes were intended to spread anxiety and spark controversy during the election process. 

Shafiq assures his audience that he was the one candidate who was able "to prevent Egypt from
descending into a bloodbath" and that "those who scare Egyptians from voting for me want a weak
 president." 

Despite being ousted from the premiership by protesters in February 2011, Shafiq promises a
 "bright future" for Egypt's revolutionary youth and to "return the revolution" to the young
demonstrators if he is elected president.  

One journalist challenged him by saying that he had worked with Egypt's past three presidents,
but Shafiq responded that he was not working for the regimes but rather he had been "working
 for Egypt."

12:24 A judge, speaking to Ahram Online on condition of anonymity, says Dakhla Oasis in
 Wadi Al-Gedid governorate has seen a particularly low turnout. In one polling station, only 50
constituents out of 1500 had cast their votes by midday, he says. Abul-Fotouh and Moussa are
 leading, with Shafiq trailing in a close third, according to the judge.

12:13 Egypt's stock market is seeing sluggish trade as the presidential elections get underway.

"Investors are busy voting, they haven't been following the market," market analyst Mostafa 

Badra told Ahram Online.

12:08 On a lighter note, Google reimagines their Egyptian parliamentary "doodle" for today's
   presidential elections. I wonder whether these slim-legged letters are also casting their votes
for Shafiq.

Google's Egyptian presidential elections doodle

12:03 Yet another instance of campaigning masquerading as voter-awareness drives outside 
of polling stations. Supporters of Brotherhood candidate Mohamed Mursi are using laptops to
 help voters find their electoral register numbers and urging them to vote for Mursi in front of 
Shubra stations, including the Shubra High School for Boys.

11:55 BREAKING: Al Jazeera Mubashir Egypt (JSC) reports that a low-ranking police officer
has been gunned down by unknown assailants in Cairo's low-income Rod Al-Farag district
while hanging a list of voter names on a wall.

More details to follow as soon as we have them.

11:46 A relatively small queue of women in Cairo's Al-Basateen district complain of their 
sons' unemployment after many years of education but seem unsure for whom to vote.

"Some things can wait but not security or garbage problems," one of them says, referring to
 the lack of police presence in their area and the growing sanitation issues.

"What have the beards done for us?" a few of them say.  

Egyptian-based NBC News correspondent Ayman Mohyeldin tweets at 10:56am:

"Judge in Kafr el Sheikh polling station has shut down voting citing discrepancies & irregularities in voter registration records #EgyElex" 

11:43 According to Ahram Online reporter Yasmine Walli, the head judge, Hanan El-Khatib,
of the Abu-Bakr Al-Sadiq School in 6 October City stated that a women was arrested for reportedly photographing her ballot in order to receive compensation for Shafiq vote.

At another 6 October City polling station, Nahdet Misr School, a judge, maintaining anonymity,
confirms,"We have no violations until now, thank God; campaign representatives are sitting
 inside the polling station in silence not breaking electoral law by speaking to voters." 

11:38 Shafiq is seizing both headlines and votes today, but upper-income neighbourhoods 
like Zamalek aren't the only areas showing massive support for the former prime minister.

At the Gabarti School, one of the largest polling stations in Manshiyat Nasser – a district with 
a large Coptic Christian population, Shafiq is highly endorsed.

Observers from the Sabbahi's campaign team allege that two of Shafiq's supporters outside 
the polling station are handing voters their voter registration numbers, a possible indication of
 vote rigging. He also claims Shafiq has hired microbuses to transport Coptic voters at his own 
expense.

11:31 Under a piping hot sun in the Upper Egypt governorate of Qena, 600 km from Cairo, Ahram correspondent Mahmoud Dessouki reports that everything is calm outside the polling stations as
 Mubarak's last prime minister, Shafiq, seems to be snapping up most of the votes.

"With a high percentage of Qena's residents being Copts, and after the 73-year-old candidate's meeting with 18 ex-parliamentarians from Mubarak's now defunct National Democratic Party, Shafiq seems to be dominating the vote so far."

However as Dessouki explains, many of the pensioners, who arrived early this morning to avoid 
the midday heat, will vote for Nasserist candidate Sabbahi.

"There is a kind of nostalgia here for the times of Egypt's nationalist leader Gamal 

Abdel-Nasser, who was from Upper Egypt himself; many elderly people see Sabbhi as 

his natural successor".

In a number of of the governorates rural villages, water has been cut off for more than two weeks.

"The residents of Nagaa Abdel-Kader and the villages around it are travelling to surrounding 

areas to get water for the army, police and judges who came to Qena to oversee elections, 

saying that providing water to their guests is even more important than standing in long queues 

to vote," Dessouki reports.

There are around one million registered voters in Qena, but with recent sweltering conditions, 
however, many are choosing to wait until the afternoon.

In the governorate's Abu-Tisht Centre, judicial sources told us that the turnout could reach up to 
40 per cent. They state that most of the constituents are men, who intend to cast their ballots for
 Amr Moussa. The judges‎, who spoke on condition of anonymity since they are not authorised to 
speak to the media,‎ say the Brotherhood's Mursi is a distant second choice.

10:57 Magdi, a Christian voter in Shubra, tells our reporter that he will vote for Shafiq because he
 is a toughman who can stand up to the politically dominant Islamists. Voting based on anxieties
of an Islamist take-over could see former regime figures Shafiq and Moussa sweeping Christian
and secular votes.

Ahram Online reporter Simon Hanna tweets: 

"One woman at shobra polling station complaining of unstamped ballot papers, same 

complaint every election! #egypreselections #egypt"

10:51 Guardian journalist Jack Shenker tweets about rising tension between members of thepublic at Cairo's Al-Shohadaa' metro station:

"Man on metro starts booming about the greatness of Ahmed Shafiq...Full-ruckus ensues, everyone's shouting and finger-jabbing. Some pro-Sabbahi elder women look ready to 

smack the Shafiq-lover in the face."

10:48 We're back again to the posher side of town, where Mubarak-era prime minister Ahmed 
Shafiq seems to be gathering plenty of votes. It's lattes, chic jumpers and designer sunglasses, 
I'm afraid, and a perplexing retrogressive trend.

Zamalek's Faculty of Physical Education for Girls School, the turnout is high but there are no female employees to check the identities of voters wearing face veils. Many ballot papers are not stamped 
as the judge is operating at a particularly slow pace.

10:35 At the Faculty of Fine Arts' polling station in Zamalek, a local monitor, who chose to remain
anonymous, says there have been no violations on the men's side. However, on the women's 
side there were problems caused by the tardiness of the civil servants assigned to man the station.

Across town, in the low-income Cairo district of Manshiyat Nasser, there are no queues of voters. 
 In front the Omar Bin Al-Khattab School, women wearing face-veils are holding ballot papers to
 show constituents how to vote. Their voting tutorial, however, comes with a nudge to vote for the Brotherhood's candidate, Mohamed Mursi.

10:26 Everything seems calm in the canal city of Suez. Long queues outside the Canal
 Preparatory School are proceeding smoothly as the polling station opened its doors on time.

Maha Mohamed, a 53-year-old civil servant stands in the women's queue while her husband, Mohamed Shahin, 
stands in the lengthy men's queue, both waiting to vote for Abul-Fotouh. "I feel comfortable with my choice
and with the security outside the poll station. I hope everything goes fine," says Maha Mohamed.

According to Maha, her sons will vote for Hamdeen Sabbahi later in the afternoon. "They are both 
university students and want a president from Tahrir Square", she says, "but for me Abul-Fotouh
 is also from Tahrir; his Islamist background makes me want to vote for him even more."

Shahin, Maha's husband says that he would have voted for Hazem Abu-Ismail if he were not
 disqualified from the elections. "I considered voting for Muslim Brotherhood candidate 
Mohamed Mursi, but my sons convinced me that it was not right," he adds with a smile.

An Ahram reporter in Suez, Sayed Nun, reported earlier this morning that the army and police 
were removing campaign posters and banners from outside several schools in Suez, 
especially in Al Arbaeen and Ganayen areas, where huge banners were hung.

10:14 Our reporter in the 6 October City of Nahdet Misr School reports that there are no
 security forces present. 

10:10 Ahram Online reporter Lina El-Wardani tweets from outside a Shubra polling station
 that there is a heavy security presence: 

"The army rooming the streets in shubra"

 outside Shubra polling station (Photo: Lina El-Wardani)

10:09 Ahram Online reporter Ekram Ibrahim tweets: 

"Inside polling station in ‪#Dokki‬ So far things are calm and smooth. ‪#EgyElex"

Egypt's military out in full force near Shubra polling station (Photo: Lina El Wardani)

10:06 Brotherhood candidate Mohamed Mursi and his competitor Abul-Fotouh are casting their
 votes at Nasr City's Ibn Nafis School. Ahram Online's reporter says nearly 5000 upper middle 
class men and women are queuing to vote.

10:04 Cairo correspondent for The Wall Street Journal Matt Bradley tweets that Egypt's de facto
leader Field Marshall Tantawi has arrived in a Abbasiya polling station: 

"Guy standing in line at Abasseya yelled at Field Marsall Tantawi [sic]: "Hey I've been waiting 

for three hours! What are you gonna do about it?"

9:57 The female-only polling station at Abu-Bakr Al-Sadiq School in Cairo's Dokki district is very crowded.Voters started to gather from 6:30am. Some voters are yelling at the deployed security
 forces to let them in and complaining of the slow process.                                 

A woman in her 60s says she is "very excited and happy, because I do not know if the candidate 
I'll vote for, Amr Moussa, will win or not."

In Nasr City, a middle class Cairo suburb, Ahram Online's reporter Salma Hussein says 8 out of
 every 10 voters are backing a pro-revolution president. One of the voters, a mother, says the next
 president will not be corrupt out of fear of the people's anger.

"Tahrir Square is there, all candidates will bear this in mind," she says.

9:45 Heading back to Shubra's Ansaf Seri School, Um Mohamed, a teacher in her 50s, is very
pleased to finally be able to choose her own president. She will be casting her ballot for Ahmed 
Shafiq because he will bring "stability" to the country and she has liked him "since he was prime 
minister." She says the Muslim Brotherhood has done nothing for the people since the last year's
uprising.

In 6 October City, an army officer is removing posters of candidate Hamdeen Sabbahi from walls
 near the Nahdet Misr School.

9:35 Ahram Online reporter Lina El Wardani, outside a Shubra polling station, tweets:

"Mb still distributing grocery"

Inside a Dokki polling station (Photo: Ekram Ibrahim)

9:30 Presidential candidate Amr Moussa is voting at the Fatma Anan School in the affluent
Greater Cairo district of New Cairo. His house is about 20 minutes away from the polling station.
 The elderly politician insists on standing in the long queue and waiting on his turn. There are
about 1000 voters there, according to our man on the ground.

The formally dressed Moussa, however, refused to speak to the media in order not to break the
 'campaign blackout' orders of the Supreme Presidential Electoral Commission. He is not being
 escorted by his supporters.

9:20 After waiting in a long queue since 7am, Wafaa Abu-Ouf, 63, a retired teacher decided to 
leave the polling station in Maadi Secondary School for Girls without casting her vote.

"They say the judge arrived late to the polling station and that is why they are opening the doors 
45 minutes late, but I really can't wait," she said.

Abu-Ouf told our reporter that she will return early Thursday morning to vote. "My daughter lives
 in Suez but will have to vote in Maadi, so she will wait for her husband to vote their today and
 come tomorrow."

With three long queues, one for women, one for men and one for the elderly, the voters standing 
outside the mid-income suburb stop each other from talking openly about who they will vote for,
however Ouf said that she found it very hard to choose her candidate.

"Hamdeen Sabbahi and Abul-Fotouh have been my favourites as they represent the revolution
 and might have a chance to win, but finally I decided to vote for Abul-Fotouh."

As Ouf was explaining the reasons for her choice, a semi-truck, plastered with images of 
Islamist candidate Selim El-Awa, drove past the poll station. "He too is a decent man and
 I will be happy if he wins! Anyone will be fine for me as long as he does not belong to the
Muslim Brotherhood or the old regime."  

9:14 Al Jazeera producer Evan Hill tweets:

"Jimmy Carter arrives at this girl's school in Sayyida Zeinab."  

The Carter Centre is a US-based NGO devoted to democracy promotion. It is among 
three foreign non-government organisations that have been authorised by Egypt's Supreme
Presidential Electoral Commission to observe the polling process and vote-counting 
procedures.

9:10 In Zamalek, Karim Hamama, 22, says he will vote for Shafiq because "he is a strong
 military man who can protect the army, but I am worried that the elections are taking place
 in these circumstances," referring to a lacklustre security presence.

Ashraf Omar, a 54-year-old man at the same polling station, says he will vote for Shafiq as 
well because he wants someone from the military to assume power. He said, "In any country
 the army protects the people. The Muslim Brotherhood are held culpable for the tension 
between the people and the army in Egypt." 

Hussein Ghonim, a university professor who voted for Shafiq too, was very pleased with the
 organisation at the polling station. 

9:00 Business tycoon and founder of the Free Egyptian Party Naguib Sawiris is queuing with
voters at the Faculty of Fine Arts' polling station in Cairo's upscale district of Zamalek. Our
 correspondent says long lines of women and men have already formed. Many complained
 that the polling station opened about 30 minutes late. If last year's parliamentary elections
are anything to go by, Cilantro and other coffeehouse chains will hopefully provide Zamalek
with the sufficient amount of caffeine necessary to survive the long wait. 

 8:45 The Muslim Brotherhood's political wing the Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) release a
 statement about Egypt's "first real presidential elections in all its history" praising the Egyptian
people for voting in November's parliamentary elections and emphasising the importance of
voter participation in these presidential elections, via their website ikhwanweb.com. The
Islamist group are fielding presidential candidate Mohamed Mursi, who, the group says, has
travelled to Zagazig to cast his vote. 

"The Freedom and Justice Party expresses sincere greetings and deep appreciation for the Egyptian people, who struck an outstanding example of civilised political awareness through positive and effective participation in the recent parliamentary elections of the People's 

Assembly (the lower house of parliament) and Shura Council (the upper house).
Those earlier elections were the first stops for the train of democratic transformation. The presidential elections, on May 23 and 24, bring that train quite near to the conclusion of its historical journey in Egypt.
The FJP emphasises that the participation of the people in these elections positively and effectively is the real guarantee of the integrity of the elections the people have been awaitin 

for such a long time, in search of stability, development and a future that shall place Egypt 

in a well-deserved leading position amongst world powers.
The FJP asserts that the success of democratic transformation requires electing a 

President [sic] capable of managing Egypt through a presidential institution based on 

justice, freedom and independence.
Such success also requires harmony between state authorities, especially the executive 

and legislature, in order for those to best serve and advance the interests of the people 

and ensure fulfilment of the January 25 revolution’s goals and demands."

8:30 Our correspondent in 6 October City, on the outskirts of Giza, says the Nahdet Misr School
in the Motamayez district has opened its doors for voters. The polling station is designated for female
 voters only. Most of the constituents are veiled, according to our reporter.

In front of the school, a mother in her early 40s complains to Ahram Online that the Muslim
Brotherhood has backtracked on their decision not to field a candidate. Another woman defended
 their decision, saying they were forced to after circumstances changed. Some voters are bringing
their children along.

The Ansaf Seri School in Cairo's large district of Shubra, where Coptic Christians maintain a sizeable presence, is being secured by a handful of military forces. The process, thus far, is organised. 

Speaking to our reporter, most constituents at the Shubra school stated their intentions to cast their
ballots for either Ahmed Shafiq or Mohamed Mursi.

8:15 Good morning. It's official: Egypt's presidential elections have commenced. At just past 8am,
reports are coming in that some polling stations have opened on time while others have yet to allow
in voters. Queues are already long, snaking around the block in certain areas. Students and staff
 enrolled in schools acting as polling stations have been granted a holiday for this two-day process.

---

Millions of Egyptians head to polling stations across the country Wednesday to cast their ballots in 
Egypt's first genuine multi-candidate presidential election.

Voters have 11 candidates to choose from, with several frontrunners leading recent independent 
polls: Abdel-Moneim Abul-Fotouh, a former Muslim Brotherhood leader and centrist Islamist candidate;
Ahmed Shafiq, ousted president Hosni Mubarak's last prime minister; Amr Moussa, a former Mubarak-era
 foreign minister and one-time secretary-general of the Arab League; Hamdeen Sabbahi, a Nasserist 
candidate with a recent surge in support from revolution-allied figures; and Mohamed Mursi, the Muslim Brotherhood's candidate.

Wednesday's and Thursday's first round of presidential elections, however, will not transpire without certain 
deep-seated worries. Ambiguities weigh heavy ahead of these historic polls, namely the fact that the new president 
could begin his tenure in the absence of a constitution determining his responsibilities and powers.

By most accounts, 30-40 million citizens (60–75 per cent of eligible voters) are expected to head to the polls on
 Wednesday out of a total of 53 million eligible voters.

The last time Egyptians went to the polls in September 2005 to vote, in what authorities sold as "multi-candidate 
presidential elections," the ousted president secured 87 per cent of the vote (6.3 million votes), thereby extending 
his long reign.

In November and December of 2011, more than 30 million Egyptians (60 per cent of eligible voters) participated in 
the country’s first post-revolution parliamentary election, which handed Egypt's Islamist forces – repressed for
 decades under the former regime – a deciding majority.