CAIRO: Residents of south Cairo flocked to polling stations for the second day to cast their ballots in the first phase of the People’s Assembly elections.
While Tuesday morning’s turnout was not as high as the first day, it was expected to rise after working hours.
Al-Khalifa and Al-Qal’aa districts, two of Egypt’s poorest, passed the electoral test smoothly with organized and well-prepared polling stations, voters told Daily News Egypt.
"I liked the organization in the polling station. Everyone takes his turn and votes in complete secrecy," said Ahmed Aly, a voter in his 20s from Al-Qal’aa.
Ahmed Abdel-Azim from Al-Khalifa district said he voted before in parliamentary elections under ousted president Hosni Mubarak reign, but that this time is different.
"People are free to choose whoever they want and they know their votes will not be forged on behalf of certain candidates," he said.
But while he praised the organization of the voting process, he complained that there was not enough time for voters to gather information about the candidates.
Army personnel securing Al-Khalifa’s Abagya preparatory school told DNE that voters were also helping in organizing the process.
"There were no clashes until now," one of the soldiers said pointing out that the first day saw lengthy, orderly queues of people waiting for long hours to cast their votes.
"Today [Tuesday], voters do not have to stand in queues because they are still few, but we expect a high turnout in the afternoon," the soldier said.
Soldiers were seen helping voters, guiding them to their electoral committees and lending a hand to elders and the handicapped.
"They are very caring and helpful. I am grateful for that," Samir Ishaq, 60, who is sight impaired, told DNE as one soldier helped him.
Ishaq said that although he was voting because he cannot afford to pay the LE 500 fine, he knows exactly who he is voting for.
