egypt-final-presidential-elections-2012

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The Carter Center Voter Education Voter education and information efforts are necessary to create an informed electorate that can effectively and freely express their electoral preferences. 90 In accordance with Article 8 of the Presidential Election Law, the PEC may contribute to raising citizens’ awareness about the importance of the presidential election and call for their participation in the process. Unfortunately, the Egyptian legal framework does not establish a mandate for the PEC to undertake voter education and information activities. Even in the absence of a strong mandate, an election authority has an internationally recognized responsibility to inform stakeholders about the process. 91 The Carter Center recommends that, in the future, Egypt’s lawmakers place a clearly defined mandate on election authorities to inform stakeholders about the election process. The main sources of official information about the presidential election process were press conferences, the official gazette of Egyptian laws, and the PEC’s website. In most cases, the PEC utilized press conferences to provide detailed post facto information on the development of events such as the candidate nomination process and the announcement of results. For the dissemination of detailed information about impending phases of the election, the PEC depended primarily on its website. The PEC website, however, was not always up to date. In some instances, it took several weeks for information to be uploaded. For example, the results of the first round of polling were not published until after the announcement of results for the second round of polling. 92 The website was also missing information on critical aspects of the The main sources of official information about the presidential election process were press conferences, the official gazette of Egyptian laws, and the PEC’s website. electoral process such as voter registration and the appeals process. 93 Without robust communication through other types of media, it is likely that the PEC’s outreach was at times limited and less than fully effective. Internet access across Egypt varies significantly between rural and urban settings and across governorates. However, it should be noted that the PEC did employ some national radio and TV spots as a means of providing basic education and information to eligible voters on how, when, and where to vote. The Carter Center commends these efforts and urges future election commissions to continue and expand such efforts. In addition, the Center encourages the PEC to consider expanding its voter information and education campaigns to include as many forms of media as possible to provide as much coverage as possible to Egypt’s voting population. The campaigns also served as a significant source of basic voter education and information. Between 90 UNHRC, General Comment 25, para. 11 91 EISA and Electoral Commission Forum of SADC Countries, Principles for Election Management, Monitoring, and Observation in the SADC Region, p. 22: “To ensure consistency and quality control, overall responsibility for the coordination of civic and voter education should rest with the EMBs.” 92 Both the results for the first and second rounds of voting were published on the PEC website on June 27, 2012. 93 Although there was a search tool through which voters could enter their national ID number to locate their polling station, there was no available data, for example, on the total number of registered voters. Likewise, the website was missing a section dedicated to the appeals process. The first-round appeals lodged by candidates appeared on the home page for only a few days and then disappeared, making it difficult to trace the PEC’s decisions. 32
The Carter Center Presidential Election in Egypt Deborah Hakes Former First Lady Rosalynn Carter speaks with voters waiting in a queue on May 23, 2012. the first and second rounds of voting, Carter Center witnesses reported significant efforts — by the Freedom and Justice Party, in particular — to mobilize and educate eligible voters about the voting process, employing informal neighborhood gatherings as well as door-to-door canvassing. Political parties have a vested interest in mobilizing their constituents to go to the polls and educating them about the process. Therefore, it is important to ensure that the information they have is accurate. For this reason, The Carter Center urges Egypt’s future electoral authorities to take concrete steps to coordinate more closely with political parties regarding voter education and information. Carter Center witnesses reported very limited voter education activities conducted by CSOs. Due to the limited nature of this mission, observation of CSO participation in the election process took place primarily between the first and second rounds of the election. Some CSOs asserted that voters did not require any voter education or information after the first round of polling. They felt by this time that the procedures and the processes were well-understood by voters and that they had sufficient time to familiarize themselves with the candidates. Some CSOs that conducted voter education activities during the parliamentary elections also explained that they lacked the financial resources to conduct any voter education during the presidential election. CSOs can act as a key partner for election administrators when it comes to raising awareness and understanding of the electoral process and providing accurate and timely information to eligible voters, particularly marginalized groups and more rural populations without access to television and the Internet. The Carter Center urges Egypt’s election authorizes to take steps to coordinate with CSOs during elections to maximize their voter education efforts. 33
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