CAIRO: Qasr El-Nil polling stations witnessed a low voter turnout on the first day of run-off elections as four candidates battle for two individual seat. Two of the candidates belong to the Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) and the other two belong to the Egyptian Bloc. Unlike Nov. 28 and 29, there is a noticeable absence of supporters of FJP at many polling stations, however, many supporters of the Egyptian Bloc were seen distributing flyers in front of the stations, and in some cases urging people to vote for their candidates. The FJP issued a press statement earlier on Monday claiming that there are thugs in front of polling stations at the Coptic School and El-Horreya Experimental School in Azbakiya. However, no thugs were seen in that area. The Egyptian Bloc spokesperson also denied news of any thugs in this district. The Egyptian Bloc also claimed in a statement that in Al-Qawmiya School polling station in Zamalek, the name of their candidates were covered with ink on the ballots. Several voters interviewed said that voting did not take them a long time, as opposed to the long queues last week, which according to them might have caused Monday's low voter turnout. The low turnout was also witnessed at one of Boulak's polling stations, where an Egyptian Bloc supporter was seen urging people to vote for their candidates. “I will not vote for someone I don't want to vote for even if they paid me,” said Islam Abdel Aty, a student at the faculty of commerce, Cairo University. Some voters were heading to the polling stations for the first time, having missed the chance to vote in the first round last week. “This is the first time in my life to vote, last time I came they closed the stations so I couldn't do it, so that's why I came now,” said Om Salma, 55. Other voters said that they were keen on voting, not to dodge the LE 500 fine, but as a “national duty.” “I come here for the sake of my country, it doesn't have to do with a party or a specific candidate, I just want to give my vote,” said a mother who preferred to remain anonymous as she carried her daughter into the station. Ahmed Essam, a student, said that he voted on Nov.28 and is voting again. “I don't know why are people disappointed that the Muslim Brotherhood are winning the elections, they have been in politics for a long time. It is so clear that they will make it,” he said.
