CAIRO: Egyptian nationals living abroad will be allowed to vote in upcoming parliamentary elections using their national identification cards, under the supervision of diplomatic missions abroad. The decision is a victory for Egyptian expat nationals who have advocated for this right for years. In light of the upcoming elections, Egyptian expats launched a Right2Vote campaign, using social media to connect and advocate for the right to vote with the popular hashtags #egyabroad and #right2vote on Twitter. Voting registration for expat nationals will begin on November 10, and will last for one week. Those wishing to register to vote can do so on the High Electoral Committee's officials website www.elections2011.eg. Any Egyptian granted an identification card before September 27, 2011 will be eligible to vote. Those who were issued an identification card after September 27, 2011 are not eligible to vote in the parliamentary elections, but are qualified to vote in referendum and presidential elections, anticipated for sometime next year. Egyptians living abroad could change the face of Egyptian elections, as their numbers near an estimated 8 million people. Egypt's parliamentary elections are scheduled to begin on November 28, and will take place in several phases, with upper house elections ending on March 24, 2012. The new parliament will adjourn on March 17, 2012. More than 120 countries globally grant nationals living abroad the right to vote in national elections BM
