The Presidential Elections Committee announced on Wednesday the final tally of votes by Egyptians at polling stations abroad in the presidential election, showing a huge lead for Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi over his rival Hamdeen Sabahi. 

According to the committee, the final count of votes show that 318,033 expatriates had cast their ballots in 141 polling stations in Egyptian consulates and embassies around the globe. The overseas stations were open from Thursday 15 May to Monday 19 May.

Out of 318,033 votes cast, former military chief El-Sisi won 296,628 (94.5 percent) votes, while Sabahi got 17,207 (5.5 percent). Invalid votes totalled 4,198 votes.  

In the run-off vote of the 2012 presidential poll – between Islamist Mohamed Morsi and Hosni Mubarak-era prime minister Ahmed Shafiq – 301,720 expatriates cast their ballots out of 586,804 eligible voters, a turnout of 52.3 percent. 

Unlike the 2012 election, however, voting via mail or email was no longer an option this year, as expat voters had to be physically present at embassies and consulates.

However, whether permanently residing overseas, or temporarily out of the country for any reason, Egyptians abroad were allowed to cast their votes without prior registration.

Polls in Egypt will open on 26-27 May.