# Election news



## MaidenScotland

The High Elections Commission (HEC) on Monday decided to reconduct the first round of elections in Cairo's first constituency after a State Council ruling invalidated the results there due to electoral violations.

The constituency encompasses the districts of Shubra, Sahel, Rod al-Farag, Sharabeya and Zawya al-Hamra.

In a statement, HEC head Abdel Moez Ibrahim called on voters to return to the polls on 10 and 11 January to vote again.

The district's run-off vote has been scheduled for 17 and 18 January.

A run-off vote for last week's first round of elections began Monday and will end Tuesday.

Ibrahim said judges and other workers in the first district should not go to polling stations on Tuesday for the planned run-off, as it will not be held because of the ruling.

Ibrahim said the HEC will implement any future judicial rulings regarding elections.


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## canuck2010

That's democracy, keep voting until you get the result you want!


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## BOOKGIRL12342002

*Questions*



MaidenScotland said:


> The High Elections Commission (HEC) on Monday decided to reconduct the first round of elections in Cairo's first constituency after a State Council ruling invalidated the results there due to electoral violations.
> 
> The constituency encompasses the districts of Shubra, Sahel, Rod al-Farag, Sharabeya and Zawya al-Hamra.
> 
> In a statement, HEC head Abdel Moez Ibrahim called on voters to return to the polls on 10 and 11 January to vote again.
> 
> The district's run-off vote has been scheduled for 17 and 18 January.
> 
> A run-off vote for last week's first round of elections began Monday and will end Tuesday.
> 
> Ibrahim said judges and other workers in the first district should not go to polling stations on Tuesday for the planned run-off, as it will not be held because of the ruling.
> 
> Ibrahim said the HEC will implement any future judicial rulings regarding elections.


Just curious, does the HEC ever outline exactly what the electoral violations are or is that disclosed on a need to know basis? 

That would be a shame if people were not able to return to their catchment areas to vote again - especially if their candidate and party were leading in the original vote .


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## Cairo Cathy

canuck2010 said:


> That's democracy, keep voting until you get the result you want!


no they discovered that in the majority Coptic areas Sahel and Shubra the votes all went to the Salafists and MB 

I guess the other districts showed the same trend


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## Eco-Mariner

That stood out a mile then ?


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## Cairo Cathy

You can't have MB and Salafist getting all the votes in Coptic areas UNLESS the Coptic Christians are voting MB too.

Maybe they did I don't know. Maybe they were illiterate and confused the symbols. Maybe they sold their votes for a bag of rice. Maybe it was fraud.


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## Cairo Cathy

Keep in mind also that the Freedom and Justice Party (MB) Vice President is a Coptic Christian and they also have many Christian members in the MB.

Rafik Habib is a Coptic Christian who is Vice President of the Ikhwan.


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## MaidenScotland

Cairo Cathy said:


> You can't have MB and Salafist getting all the votes in Coptic areas UNLESS the Coptic Christians are voting MB too.
> 
> Maybe they did I don't know. Maybe they were illiterate and confused the symbols. Maybe they sold their votes for a bag of rice. Maybe it was fraud.




Fraud then..


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## Cairo Cathy

Why fraud?

Rafik Habib the Coptic Christian is MB VP .

Maybe other Copts prefer the MB too.


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## hhaddad

Cairo Cathy said:


> Why fraud?
> 
> Rafik Habib the Coptic Christian is MB VP .
> 
> Maybe other Copts prefer the MB too.


It's because M.B. and salafists don't respect the law ,never have done and certainly don't understand the word democracy and what it means.They still think they can buy votes and convince people that if they don't vote for them then they are going against God's will. And in my book that's illegal and tantamount to FRAUD.


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## Cairo Cathy

Plenty can join them then. 
What about International Law and Justice?
What about Palestine?
What about the lies to invade Iraq.?
What about all those UN resolutions against Israel.?
What about the war criminals like Bush-Blair-Obama-Cheney etc?
What about invading sovereign airspace?


If they did buy votes then it is fraud. They know this but we will have to see if it is proven or not.
If they didn't and Coptic Christians did vote for them then that's another matter.

I wouldn't be too quick to shout democracy.
Seems like the police in Times Sq and Boston etc are violently shutting up any voices raised against the corrupt bankers and leaders.
The West is not a model of democracy.
Not when just about all the citizens rights are stripped away.
The Patriot Act, the mobile scanners roaming the streets, phone tapping, airport scanners, The UK Control Act.


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## hhaddad

Cairo Cathy said:


> Plenty can join them then.
> What about International Law and Justice?
> What about Palestine?
> What about the lies to invade Iraq.?
> What about all those UN resolutions against Israel.?
> What about the war criminals like Bush-Blair-Obama-Cheney etc?
> What about invading sovereign airspace?
> 
> 
> If they did buy votes then it is fraud. They know this but we will have to see if it is proven or not.
> If they didn't and Coptic Christians did vote for them then that's another matter.
> 
> I wouldn't be too quick to shout democracy.
> Seems like the police in Times Sq and Boston etc are violently shutting up any voices raised against the corrupt bankers and leaders.
> The West is not a model of democracy.
> Not when just about all the citizens rights are stripped away.
> The Patriot Act, the mobile scanners roaming the streets, phone tapping, airport scanners, The UK Control Act.


People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones!

And I've seen it and heard it here and anyway all those things you say have been going on for years here and worse.


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## expatagogo

Cairo Cathy said:


> Plenty can join them then.
> What about International Law and Justice?
> What about Palestine?
> What about the lies to invade Iraq.?
> What about all those UN resolutions against Israel.?
> What about the war criminals like Bush-Blair-Obama-Cheney etc?
> What about invading sovereign airspace?
> 
> 
> If they did buy votes then it is fraud. They know this but we will have to see if it is proven or not.
> If they didn't and Coptic Christians did vote for them then that's another matter.
> 
> I wouldn't be too quick to shout democracy.
> Seems like the police in Times Sq and Boston etc are violently shutting up any voices raised against the corrupt bankers and leaders.
> The West is not a model of democracy.
> Not when just about all the citizens rights are stripped away.
> The Patriot Act, the mobile scanners roaming the streets, phone tapping, airport scanners, The UK Control Act.


What does any of that have to do with democracy?


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## hhaddad

expatagogo said:


> What does any of that have to do with democracy?


I saw about a month ago that Democracy is just starting to be taught in Egyptian schools after that had taken all th N.D.P. propaganda from the text books.


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## expatagogo

hhaddad said:


> I saw about a month ago that Democracy is just starting to be taught in Egyptian schools after that had taken all th N.D.P. propaganda from the text books.


All of the "hate everybody that's not Muslim" in government text books was supposed to be removed, too. Mubarak's Minister of Education was charged with that responsibility, and I believe that was last year.

Still, what do events in Time Square and Boston, located in a rather established federation of united states - a constitutional republic and representative democracy - have to do with the MB and Egypt? Apples and oranges. Nothing to compare.


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## Cairo Cathy

*All of the "hate everybody that's not Muslim" in government text books was supposed to be removed, too. Mubarak's Minister of Education was charged with that responsibility, and I believe that was last year.*

any scans of the pages that say that or is this from Jihadwatch


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## MaidenScotland

Cairo Cathy said:


> *All of the "hate everybody that's not Muslim" in government text books was supposed to be removed, too. Mubarak's Minister of Education was charged with that responsibility, and I believe that was last year.*
> 
> any scans of the pages that say that or is this from Jihadwatch




Perhaps they read it in school books.


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## expatagogo

Cairo Cathy said:


> *All of the "hate everybody that's not Muslim" in government text books was supposed to be removed, too. Mubarak's Minister of Education was charged with that responsibility, and I believe that was last year.*
> 
> any scans of the pages that say that or is this from Jihadwatch


I could be offended by your accusation, however I prefer to consider the source.


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## expatagogo

MaidenScotland said:


> Perhaps they read it in school books.


The US government gave Egypt a lot of money for this project. It is easy to find with a simple google search.


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## cairoblondie

Cairo Cathy said:


> Keep in mind also that the Freedom and Justice Party (MB) Vice President is a Coptic Christian and they also have many Christian members in the MB.
> 
> Rafik Habib is a Coptic Christian who is Vice President of the Ikhwan.


Some of my friends are black! Therefor I am not a racist. :clap2:


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## MaidenScotland

cairoblondie said:


> Some of my friends are black! Therefor I am not a racist. :clap2:


Me too but my friends are gay.


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## expatagogo

MaidenScotland said:


> Me too but my friends are gay.


My friends are mostly unbelievers.

Verily.


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## cairoblondie

MaidenScotland said:


> Me too but my friends are gay.


If they are gay AND black you are sooooo not a racist! Triple points if any of them are handicapped.


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## MaidenScotland

cairoblondie said:


> If they are gay AND black you are sooooo not a racist! Triple points if any of them are handicapped.




And what about my gay Muslim Egyptian friend? How many points for him?


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## hurghadapat

:nono::nono::nono:


MaidenScotland said:


> And what about my gay Muslim Egyptian friend? How many points for him?


:nono::nono::nono: Egypt doesn't have gay people.....so no points to be got there.


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## MaidenScotland

hurghadapat said:


> :nono::nono::nono:
> 
> :nono::nono::nono: Egypt doesn't have gay people.....so no points to be got there.




blast.. how did I forget that?


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## Eco-Mariner

Originally Posted by hurghadapat
Egypt doesn't have gay people.....


No.... just liers.


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## Cairo Cathy

expatagogo

I asked for scans of the pages that say what you claim.

If you dont have them just say so.


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## hhaddad

They said that there should be no publicity for the elections during the 48 hours before voting day and a M.B. car has just passed my house with loudspeaker blaring giving the name of the candidate and verses of the Koran.NO RESPECT FOR THE LAW just thinking of themselves not the country.


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## MaidenScotland

hhaddad said:


> They said that there should be no publicity for the elections during the 48 hours before voting day and a M.B. car has just passed my house with loudspeaker blaring giving the name of the candidate and verses of the Koran.NO RESPECT FOR THE LAW just thinking of themselves not the country.




Ahh that is what it was.. I have heard noise this past two days but as I didn't have my hearing aid in I had no idea what it was.


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## MaidenScotland

Now that would be an election winner, a president that would allow you to be openly gay without harassment


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## MaidenScotland

Hot off my Egyptian friends facebook wall

Abdin
Heard in the (long) voting queue: 
"You know, we should just go back to when Mubarak was here. At least he did the voting for us and we were sat comfortable at home."


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## Eco-Mariner

hhaddad said:


> They said that there should be no publicity for the elections during the 48 hours before voting day and a M.B. car has just passed my house with loudspeaker blaring giving the name of the candidate and verses of the Koran. NO RESPECT FOR THE LAW, just thinking of themselves not the country.



Besides being liers, not caring a damn about laws, obviously they are deaf too. Or maybe the blind leading the blind?


Eco-Mariner.


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## MaidenScotland

MaidenScotland said:


> Hot off my Egyptian friends facebook wall
> 
> Abdin
> Heard in the (long) voting queue:
> "You know, we should just go back to when Mubarak was here. At least he did the voting for us and we were sat comfortable at home."




and another


Another quote from the elections: 
I came out of the polling station with a big grin on my face. It's such a good feeling.


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## expatagogo

Cairo Cathy said:


> expatagogo
> 
> I asked for scans of the pages that say what you claim.
> 
> If you dont have them just say so.


One quick google search, and here we have it - and it's heavily cited for further investigation:

IMRA - Saturday, May 8, 2010 MEMRI: Egypt Announces Plan to Revise Religious Studies Curricula, Removing Extremist Content and Promoting Tolerance


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## GM1

this article is from yesterday:

*British research center criticizes sectarianism in Egyptian schools*

The British-based Impact-SE Research Center has criticized school curricula in Egypt and called on authorities to update them in order to help achieve true democracy.

The center’s study was discussed in the British House of Lords at the request of the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Rowan Williams, the highest religious authority in the Anglican Church.

The study said no real democracy could be achieved in Egypt without instilling principles of citizenship and equality between religions, and bringing an end to the practice of calling non-Muslims "infidels".

Results of the study, which was conducted in Egypt after the revolution in 2011, revealed that school curricula failed to deliver a message of integration, despite efforts in this regard.

The study also criticized the condemnation of Christianity and Judaism by Muslims, a fact that has led many generations of Egyptians to hate foreigners and minorities.

It added that Egyptian curricula consider the Torah and the Bible as "holy" books, but teach that they were forged by Jews and Christians. The curricula also contain anti-Semitic ideas, it said.

The study went on to say that former Education Minister Ahmed Zaki Badr and Grand Mufti Ali Gomaa pledged last year that curricula would be stripped of items that foment violence and extremism, particularly Quranic verses that incite jihad and the killing of pagans and infidels. However, that reform never took place.

The study found that the curricula praise Coptic Christians for their role in liberating Egypt from British occupation, but label them infidels nonetheless.

Al Masry Al Youm: British research center criticizes sectarianism in Egyptian schools


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## expatagogo

GM1 said:


> this article is from yesterday:
> 
> *British research center criticizes sectarianism in Egyptian schools*
> 
> The British-based Impact-SE Research Center has criticized school curricula in Egypt and called on authorities to update them in order to help achieve true democracy.
> 
> The center’s study was discussed in the British House of Lords at the request of the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Rowan Williams, the highest religious authority in the Anglican Church.
> 
> The study said no real democracy could be achieved in Egypt without instilling principles of citizenship and equality between religions, and bringing an end to the practice of calling non-Muslims "infidels".
> 
> Results of the study, which was conducted in Egypt after the revolution in 2011, revealed that school curricula failed to deliver a message of integration, despite efforts in this regard.
> 
> The study also criticized the condemnation of Christianity and Judaism by Muslims, a fact that has led many generations of Egyptians to hate foreigners and minorities.
> 
> It added that Egyptian curricula consider the Torah and the Bible as "holy" books, but teach that they were forged by Jews and Christians. The curricula also contain anti-Semitic ideas, it said.
> 
> The study went on to say that former Education Minister Ahmed Zaki Badr and Grand Mufti Ali Gomaa pledged last year that curricula would be stripped of items that foment violence and extremism, particularly Quranic verses that incite jihad and the killing of pagans and infidels.* However, that reform never took place.*
> 
> The study found that the curricula praise Coptic Christians for their role in liberating Egypt from British occupation, but label them infidels nonetheless.
> 
> Al Masry Al Youm: British research center criticizes sectarianism in Egyptian schools


The reforms are specific to the "Arabic [sic] Social Studies" curriculum, which is compulsory for every student - regardless of religion (or, in the case of non-Muslims, a/k/a "infidels", lack thereof).


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## MaidenScotland

You can lead a horse to water but you cannot make it drink


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## Eco-Mariner

I believe in the one God. But I don't have a religion or particular faith.
Does that make me an infidel?

For over 25 years I have helped Egypt feed itself by increasing its tourism revenues to figures beyond belief. Does that not make me part of a tolerant society? Or should I ask for my money back?

Rather than be seperate, Muslims should see this and be part of our world too?


Eco-Mariner


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## expatagogo

Eco-Mariner said:


> I believe in the one God. But I don't have a religion or particular faith.
> Does that make me an infidel?
> 
> For over 25 years I have helped Egypt feed itself by increasing its tourism revenues to figures beyond belief. Does that not make me part of a tolerant society? Or should I ask for my money back?
> 
> Rather than be seperate, Muslims should see this and be part of our world too?
> 
> 
> Eco-Mariner


According to the "Arabic Social Studies" classes, Christians believe in three Gods, which makes Christians "infidels".

Figure that one out!


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## Eco-Mariner

Yes... The Father, son and holy spirit.

According to the world as we know it, Muslims have two. 
Allah and money.


Eco.


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## hhaddad

Eco-Mariner said:


> Yes... The Father, son and holy spirit.
> 
> According to the world as we know it, Muslims have two.
> Allah and money.
> 
> 
> Eco.


 Add drugs to that and you've got three.


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## MaidenScotland

Ohh come on... having money and drugs as your god is not a Muslim problem.. it's a worldwide problem regardless of religion.


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## hhaddad

*Update: Reports of violence, irregularities in second round of voting*

While the second round of People's Assembly elections have been mostly peaceful, reports of isolated violence and voting irregularities have emerged during the voting that began in nine governorates Wednesday.

Five people were injured in clashes with firearms and batons between Ghad Party and Egyptian Bloc supporters in Tal al-Zoaka village in Sohag Governorate. The military intervened to control the situation and cordoned off the nearby polling station with armored vehicles.

Supporters of two different candidates traded gunfire outside the polling station at Khaled Ibn al-Waleed School in Giza, causing it to close for two hours.

Revolution Continues Coalition candidate Yasser al-Refaei was hospitalized in intensive care with broken ribs and a head injury after military officers and police reportedly assaulted him in the city of Zagazig in Sharqiya Governorate.

Incidences of police brutality and intimidation were frequent during elections held under former President Hosni Mubarak.

Also in Sharqiya, a judge pointed a gun at candidate Essam Mohamed Arafat after engaging in an altercation with Arafat's brother, the Judges Club reported. The conflict was quickly defused.

In Nageh Hussein village in Sohag Governorate, three masked gunmen allegedly attempted to kill voter Alaa Mohamed Mostafa inside a polling station, but were stopped by the military. Official investigations suggest that the attack may have been part of a series of revenge killings between Mostafa's family and the Awlad Abdel Aal family.

Meanwhile, in Beni Suef, two people were injured in the first election violence to hit the governorate since the start of the elections. The violence began after clashes erupted between supporters of independent candidate Abul Khair al-Gamasy and Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) supporters who had distributed campaign materials outside the electoral committees.

In the Bani Harun School polling station in Beni Suef, Adl Party Secretary Walid Abdel Moneim was beaten by a number of Nour Party supporters after he objected to their campaigning outside the polling station, after which Abdel Moneim was transferred to a private hospital.

Some parliamentary candidates complained of election irregularities and accused judicial monitors of manipulating votes.

FJP supporters in the village of May in Monufiya Governorate reportedly implored voters through a mosque loudspeaker to head to polling stations early Thursday morning. The message reminded citizens that the government will impose a LE500 fine on all eligible voters who fail to show up at the polls.

FJP and Nour Party supporters were also stationed inside a mosque behind the National Awareness School in Shebien al-Koam and used laptops to provide voters with information about their polling stations.

Ahmed Mohamed Abdel Zaher, a Revolution Continues candidate in Sohag, filed a complaint against a judge, accusing him of marking voter ballots in favor of the Salafi-led Nour Party. Two judges in the same polling station filed a complaint against Abdel Zaher for photographing voters without a permit.

A Nour Party candidate in Sharqiya filed a complaint against a judge who expelled him from a polling station, claiming the judge only allowed the FJP's representative to observe voting.

Mounir Hatata, an FJP leader in Monufiya — the birthplace of former President Hosni Mubarak — accused the Nour Party of encouraging voters to choose the lantern symbol representing the Salafi party. Nour Party leader Bassem Roshdy denied this accusation, saying it was a rumor and that the FJP has done much worse.

Representatives of the Egyptian Bloc filed five complaints against both the FJP and Nour parties at the Nile School in the Waraq district, in northern Giza Governorate. The complaints said that some FJP and Nour supporters voted more than once and that more than one voter was allowed in voting booths. In addition, the representatives complained about the lack of supervising judges at polling stations and that prosecutors were working in their stead.

Voters and candidates filed complaints in Sharqiya, Beheira and Giza governorates, alleging that judges were directing voters to cast ballots for certain candidates. In some cases, election officials sent additional judges to the problematic polling stations to check on their colleagues.

Candidates also filed complaints that they found marked ballots outside the polling station at the Tree of Pears School in Giza. Officials closed the polling station after receiving the complaints. The closure of some polling stations led to altercations between voters unable to cast their ballots and security forces and judges.

Election observers and participants also reported illegal last-minute campaigning at many polling stations.

Supporters of the Salafi Nour Party campaigned for their party in the second district of Giza Governorate, which includes the Talbiya, Omraniya and Bulaq al-Dakroor districts. The supporters urged voters to cast their ballots, amid weak voter turnout in the constituency, with the exception of a number of schools.

In the Talbiya district, some schools in Kafrtohormos witnessed high voter turnout, as did the Malika area in Faisal district. There was heavy campaigning for the Muslim Brotherhood’s Freedom and Justice Party candidate Gamal al-Ashry, as well as for a number of independent candidates, such as Sayed al-Mannai, who is competing for the worker's seat.

In the Faisal area, a judge prevented a number of women wearing face veils from voting, after they refused to reveal their faces to verify their identity.

Supporters of the Kotla Party candidate Mohamed Fouad, who is competing for a seat in the professional category, accused supporters of the FJP candidate of bribing voters by distributing a large number of blankets to residents in the Abu Qatata and Zanin districts as well as on Street #10 in Bulaq al-Dakrur.

Nine party lists, and 123 candidates competing for the professional and workers seats are competing in the constituency.

Electoral committees closed on Wednesday evening free of any campaign posters after the armed forces had removed them, only to find new campaign posters in the morning.
Update: Reports of violence, irregularities in second round of voting | Al-Masry Al-Youm: Today's News from Egypt


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## MaidenScotland

Do you know who is observing the voting? 

I had to nip to Giza yesterday and expected a bit of a hold up but it took me 2 hours to make a 15 minute journey, now I know why.


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## Eco-Mariner

I just had to pick out this quote from this news item:

In the Faisal area, a judge prevented a number of women wearing face veils from voting, after they refused to reveal their faces to verify their identity.

I would be interested in knowing if these were children or men taking advantage of adult I.D. cards. However, if these were genuine voters then they learned a hard lesson and lost the only single freedom they have. That was their right to vote.


Eco-Mariner.


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## MaidenScotland

Eco-Mariner said:


> I just had to pick out this quote from this news item:
> 
> In the Faisal area, a judge prevented a number of women wearing face veils from voting, after they refused to reveal their faces to verify their identity.
> 
> I would be interested in knowing if these were children or men taking advantage of adult I.D. cards. However, if these were genuine voters then they learned a hard lesson and lost the only single freedom they have. That was their right to vote.
> 
> 
> Eco-Mariner.




I will put this on my facebook page as I have a couple of friends who live out that way.

There will be no reply today as we were all invited to a party tonight. I am not going but I am sure they are


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## MaidenScotland

oung Egyptian dentist, Ahmed Harara, is a true Hero of the Egyptian revolution. He lost both his eyes on two separate protests in Tahrir square. He lost the first one during the 25 January revolution and the other one during the 20th November protests against the Military Council.

He is featured in The Time's Person of the year 2011.


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## MaidenScotland

Eco-Mariner said:


> I just had to pick out this quote from this news item:
> 
> In the Faisal area, a judge prevented a number of women wearing face veils from voting, after they refused to reveal their faces to verify their identity.
> 
> I would be interested in knowing if these were children or men taking advantage of adult I.D. cards. However, if these were genuine voters then they learned a hard lesson and lost the only single freedom they have. That was their right to vote.
> 
> 
> Eco-Mariner.




One wonders why there was no women for them to show their face or did they just refuse full stop as it was indeed a man behind the veil?


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