November 23, 2020
The Fifth and Final Statement of the first day of the first stage runoff round
The Elections Observatory at Egyptian Alliance for Development Human Rights
Supportive Paths for Competitiveness and Neutrality
Notes on the electoral scene of the runoff round for the first stage
Since the early hours of this morning, Egyptians flocked to voting subcommittees in 13 governorates (the governorates of the first stage of parliament elections 2020) to vote for those who deserve winning by public will and represent their constituencies in the coming parliament for five years. The electoral scene characterized to be public with many features and details which represent a main corner in judging the electoral process and so defining the identity and path of the democratic transition which is based on a public ‘authorization’.
The most important features of the first voting day can be monitored as follows:
Firstly: the voting process of the runoff round of the first-stage governorates for Egyptians reside inside Egypt in the period from 23rd – 24th November 2020 coincides with the end of the period available for voting for Egyptians reside outside Egypt which lasted for three days 21st, 22nd and 23rd November 2020 representing an electoral precedent in regard to the period and measures which shows a notable development in the performance of The National Election Commission in achieving accessibility goals and enabling voters to practice their rights to participation in an effective and safe way.
Secondly: although the first stage of the parliament elections includes 14 governorates representing the geographical regions which represent – according to list system – the second constituency (11) governorates and the fourth constituency 3 governorates, yet the election process for the runoff round regarding individual seats has been implemented in 13 governorates as a direct result to decide in the individual seats allocated for the Red Sea Governorate which are three seats from the first round after three candidates have achieved the absolute majority of votes (50% + 1) and that the National Election Commission announced their winning without need of runoff round.
Thirdly: the election process of the runoff round for the first-stage governorates over 110 seats competed by 220 candidates has been geographically distributed among 54 constituencies among which 52 constituencies where runoff round takes place for the entire constituency seats with a total of 107 seats while it takes place partially in two constituencies with total of three seats in 16 constituencies in the first vote round in a behavior which indicates the severity of competitiveness and that many candidates have influential public seats in addition to the neutrality of supervision and management body; the matter which will be reflected on the runoff round and its results.
Fourthly: the first stage runoff round has witnessed an executive precedent represented in the immediate response of the National Election Commission and implementing the judgments sentenced by the Supreme Administrative Court in regard to excluding three candidates in the runoff round and inserting the names of other candidates after detecting mistakes which affect the votes collecting and counting process in addition to affecting the final result of candidates’ order according to the total votes for each one of them in the first application of the new rules included in the amendments of the laws of the National Election Commission and parliament by the law no. 140 of 2020 which are the decisions issued by the commission under no. 83 by inserting the candidate Ali Al Domini (independent) to replace the candidate Mohamed Abd El Ghani Sakr (Mostakbal Watan) in Al Mahmoudia constituency in Al Bihara governorate and no. 84 by inserting the candidate Ahmed Al Sherif (Al Nour) to replace the female candidate Mona Hassan (independent) in Al Dakhala in Alexandria governorate and the decision no. 85 by inserting the candidate Bassam Al Sawaf (independent) to replace the candidate Mangood Al Hawary (Al Shaab Al Gomhory).
Fifthly: prior to the runoff round, the National Election Commission has put in coordination with the Ministry of Local Development a group of regulations and measures to guarantee the safety of distancing measures and maintaining the voters’ health within the report which reveal the start of the second wave of coronavirus as the commission has assured the necessity of providing protection and sterilization tools for free inside committees for voters who do not have those tools in addition to sterilizing the voting headquarters completely in the beginning and end of each day of voting and the subcommittees periodically during the whole election process and when necessary.
Sixthly: although the runoff round takes place in the same headquarters and places of the first round, yet the delay phenomenon in opening the subcommittees is still witnessed by the electoral scene but it is less than that in the first round. The observers of the Egyptian Alliance have monitored delay in opening the subcommittees in Alexandria, Al Behara, Assuit and Al Minia since opening the subcommittees no. 218m 219 and 220 was delayed in Al Qosya Sports Club in Assuit, the committees in Al Mansouria Schools in Al Minia constituency, the committees 116 and 117 in Hafez Ibrahim preparatory School in Dairout constituency in Assuit, the committees of Mazghona school in Al Badrasheen constituency, committee no. 132 in Shoubra kheet School in Al Behara, committees 167 and 168 in Nab’a Al Fekr School in Moharam bk constituency in Alexandria, committees 112, 113, 114 and 115 in Algeria Primary School in Samalot constituency in Al Minia which is a frequent action to be considered and reviewed or to activate different mechanisms to distribute judges to electoral committees and facilitate accessing the headquarters.
Seventhly: in a practice which explicitly violates the regulations of electioneering and electoral silence periods stated by the law of parliament and the decisions of the National Elections Commission, the Egyptian Alliance for Development and Human Rights’ observers have monitored frequent cases of electioneering and leading and affecting voters in front of voting committees, the most prominent of which were in committees 123, 124 and 125 in Al Nasr Primary School in Al Qasya constituency in Assuit, Hassan Abd Allah School in Com Al Shokafa and Safwat Mansour Preparatory School in Moharam bk constituency in Alexandria, the committees in Al Wafaaia Complex Schools in Al Dalingat constituency, Al Bahera, the committees 16, 17 and 18 in Al Shaheed Al Islamboli in Al Badrasheen constituency in Al Behara, committees 242, 243 and 244 in Al Ghomhoria School in Tahta and the committees 94 and 95 in Awlad Shelol School in Sohag constituency.
Eighthly: the phenomenon of buying votes is still there in return for money and commodities and services with the appearance of number of charities and developmental associations in an attempt to avoid the regulations and rules and issued by the National Election Commission especially after the spread of such phenomenon and described it as the most prominent negative notices in the electoral scene in the last round since the alliance’s observers have monitored electoral promotion represented in distributing food commodities to voters in committees 242, 243 and 244 in Al Ghomhoria School in Tahta, committees 1 and 2 in Al Shaheed Khalaf Abd Al Kader Primary School in Idfa village in Sohag, committee 73 in Naga’a Mana’a Primary School in Sohag. In addition, one of the representatives of an independent candidate in Moharam bk distributed coupons of commodities provided by Al Bir Belansan Association behind Al Marwa School in return for voting for one of the candidates also the female Alham Al Menshawy in Al Ramel constituency had a video denouncing thse bribes and such practices which should be pursued by security forces and applying the law to deter these practices.
Ninthly: the Egyptian women are still in the front of electoral scene as they are keen on participation since the observers of the Egyptian Alliance for Development and Human Rights monitored an intensive turnout and crowding in front of voting committees of women with clear presence of girls in a way which reveals how much the electoral scene is positive especially with the participation of elderly people and those with special circumstances which is monitored in committees 125 and 126 in Al Nasr Primary School, the committees 218 and 219 in Al Qosaya Sports Club, the committees of Al Azhar institute in Dairot constituency in Assuit, the committees of Agricultural Society in Com Zamran village, committees of Al Wafaaia Preparatory School, committee of Al Dalingat Secondary School in Al Dalingat constituency in Al Behara, the committees of Al Dar School in Luxor and committee no. 244 in Al Gomhoria School in Tahta in Sohag.
