What Egyptian expats must know before voting abroad in presidential elections

Merna Hesham , Tuesday 14 Nov 2023

Two weeks before Egyptian expats will be able to cast their votes abroad in the country’s presidential elections, the National Election Authority (NEA) released a FAQ to address common queries about the process.

Egyptians cast their votes at a polling station during the presidential election, Cairo, March 26, 2018. Reuters

Four candidates are running in Egypt's 2024 presidential elections, which will place from 1 to 3 December abroad and from 10 to 12 December locally.

The final result will be announced on 18 December if no run-off is required.

The four candidates are incumbent President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi, who is running for a third term; Farid Zahran, the candidate of the opposition Social Democratic Party; Abdel-Sanad Yamama, the candidate of the Wafd Party; and Hazem Omar, the candidate of the People's Republican Party.

The number of eligible voters inside and outside the country may surpass 65 million, according to media reports.

Frequently asked questions:

1. When and where can Egyptians abroad cast their ballots?

Expats may cast their ballots 1-3 December from 9am to 9pm local time.

The website of the NEA publishes all the addresses of polling stations abroad.

Eligible voters in Egypt can inquire about their electoral committees and polling stations by entering their 14-digit national identification number on the NEA website.

2. What documents are required to cast a ballot?

The voter must provide either a valid or expired national ID card or a valid passport.

If an individual has never obtained a national ID, they can still cast their ballot using the new passport that contains a national ID number.

3. What is the voting procedure inside the polling stations?

After reaching the embassy or consulate nearest to them, the voter must present their ID proof to the head of the committee for identity verification.

The committee checks the voter's registration in the electoral database, and upon confirmation, the voter receives a ballot.

The voter must proceed to the designated voting area, mark their chosen candidate, fold the ballot, place it in the committee's ballot box, and sign the voter register to confirm their presence and participation before leaving.

3. What are the symbols of the candidates and their order in the ballot paper?

a) El-Sisi with the star as his electoral symbol.

b) Zahran, with the symbol of the sun.

c) Yamama, with the symbol of the palm tree.

d) Omar, with the symbol of the ladder.

5. Can I vote again in Egypt after casting my vote abroad?

No.