Egyptians in Bahrain vote in 2018 presidential election

Cairo : Egyptian expatriates in Bahrain have flocked to the embassy early yesterday to cast their votes in the 2018 presidential election, which has officially opened its doors to voters for three days. 

Egyptian Ambassador in Manama, Soha Ibrahim Refaat, urged the Egyptian community in Bahrain to take part in the election, terming it as a  “national duty” that reflects loyalty and belonging to Egypt. Soha asserted that the Egyptian embassy has carried out all necessary procedures to receive voters, ensuring that the process is easy. 

The Egyptian embassy in New Zealand was the first to open to the electorate, given an 11 hour time difference with Cairo. 

Due to political unrest and a worsening security situation, the elections would not take place in Libya, Syria and Yemen. 

Egyptians at home are due on March 26-28 to cast their ballots in 27 governorates. 

Egyptian Foreign Minister’s Deputy Hamdi Loza said previously that all foreign missions have been provided with electronic scanners so voters’ ID cards and passports can be quickly scanned, noting that the whole expatriate voting process will be monitored by surveillance cameras linked with an operations room at the foreign ministry. 

In 2017, the government estimated the number of Egyptians living abroad at 9.4 million. 

The National Election Authority (NEA), headed by counselor Lashin Ibrahim, announced on February 24 the final list for Egypt’s upcoming presidential election including President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi and Moussa Moustafa Moussa, Head of al-Ghad Party. 

Sixty million eligible voters will cast their ballots in the election on March 26-28 in Egypt, while expatriates will vote between Friday and March 18 at 139 polling stations located in embassies and consulates of 124 countries, said Ibrahim in a press conference. 

The primary results of the first round of the election will be announced on March 29, where decisions on appeals submitted by candidates, if any, will be made. The final results of the first round will be announced on April 2.