Wednesday 2 March 2011

How to vote in Egypt today is anyone's guess

Since the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces announced that Egyptian citizens can vote using their National ID , and that the previous regime's so-called "Voting Cards" are unnecessary, mass confusion followed. I am receiving an onslaught of emails, Blackberry messages and Facebook messages about what to do, where to go, what documents are needed.

The deadline has varied from Saturday, 6th March to Tuesday, 8th March. And then there's the Ministry of Interior's Facebook page, which no one can really trust.

Until this morning, no one could tell me how to change my ID address from Alexandria to Cairo so I can vote in Cairo. I ventured onto the Ministry of Interior website . I called the number, and could not get through to the General Information desk (Al Este3lemat). So the operator said, "Go ahead, how can I help?"

Me: I want to update my National ID details from an Alexandria to a Cairo address and from single to Married.

MoI operator: So your husband's ID has your new address?

Me: Yes.

MoI operator: So take him with you, with his ID, marriage certificate and go to change it.

Me: Go where?

MoI operator: Anywhere you like.

Me: Should I go to the police station (2esm) that will be changing to? Kasr El Nil?

MoI: It doesn't matter.

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Ok, so tomorrow I'm going to Kasr el nil station to try and do this, and then follow that with trying to register for the voting process.

Until then, I would also like to share some other people's experiences that I have received in the past 24 hours. If you or anyone you know have stories to tell, please do share them here.


- I went on Monday and did not need my birth certificate. Won’t hurt if you take it, but if you don’t have one handy, don’t worry about it.

- They just asked where I was born but did not ask for certificate. If you have it - take it. If you can't find it - don't let that stop you!

- I went in maadi. they said they only need birth certificates for those born starting 1982. They said I should come back after 2 days to take the number but they immediately told me the place I will go for voting.

- I am born in 1982 and they did not need a birth certificate. In any case, Take it if you have it, if not don’t let it stop you. Ps: the whole process takes less than 10 mintues

- I went for the voting card and didn't need a birth certificate. Is this registration the same as registering for beta2a intikhabeya? I hope I won't need to register again

-I applied last year, but didn't pick up my card because they said it wasn't issued yet. Now, my police station, Nasr City, is burned down. What should I do?

- In Nozha office Heliopolis they need birth certificate from anyone any age group!

- just got back min 2esm el dokki.. I asked the guy there why r they still issuing voting cards when the Supreme Military Council and Langent Ta3deel el dostour both confirmed that voting will be with the regular ID! The guy replied "Ana magaleesh Ta3leemat"! And he continued "if someone comes and asks me to do a voting card, mesh ha2ollo la2"!! I asked him if I apply for the voting card now when will I get it? He replied "April 21st" so I asked "but the dostour referendum is on March 19th, how will I vote on it?" He replied "Ma3rafsh"!!

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