egypt-final-presidential-elections-2012

The Carter Center
Contents
Executive Summary .........................2
Postelection Developments ...................2
The Carter Center and the Presidential Election ...3
Historical and Political Background ............6
The Timing and the Role of the
Presidential Election in the Broader
Political Transition .........................6
Political Maneuvering and the Candidate
Nomination Process ........................9
The First Round of the Presidential
Election: May 23–24, 2012 ..................9
Political Developments Between the
First and Second Rounds of the Election ........11
The Second Round of the Election:
June 16–17, 2012 ........................12
The Carter Center in Egypt .................14
Observation Methodology ...................14
Limitations on Witnessing the
Presidential Election .......................16
Observing the Presidential Election ............17
Electoral Institutions and the Legal
Framework for the Presidential Election .......18
Legal Framework .........................18
Key Issues ..............................20
Electoral System ..........................25
Election Management ......................25
Presidential Election Commission .............27
Voter Registration .........................29
Voter Education ...........................32
Candidates and Campaigns ..................34
Candidate Nomination .....................34
Regulatory Framework for Campaigning ........36
Security Environment During the
First-Round Campaign Period ...............37
Campaigning During the Second Round ........38
Campaigning During the Silence Period ........40
Campaign Finance ........................40
The Media Environment and
Access to the Electoral Process. ..............43
Participation of Women .....................45
Civil Society Organizations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Regulatory Framework for CSOs .............47
The Role of CSOs in Witnessing the
Presidential Election .......................48
Additional Challenges Facing Domestic
CSOs in Witnessing the Election .............49
Out-of-Country Voting .....................51
Election Day ..............................52
Poll Opening ............................52
Polling and Voting Operations ...............53
Closing .................................56
Counting and Aggregation ...................58
Aggregation .............................59
Announcement of Election Results ...........61
Electoral Dispute Resolution. ................64
Conclusions and Recommendations ...........67
To the Government of Egypt ................67
To the Presidential Election Commission. . . . . . . .69
Appendix A: Acknowledgments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Appendix B: The Carter Center
Witnessing Delegation and Staff ..............77
Appendix C: Terms and Abbreviations ........80
Appendix D: Statements ....................81
Appendix E: Deployment Plans .............100
Appendix F: Checklists ....................101
Appendix G: Letters of Permission ..........124
Appendix H: Constitutional
Declaration Addendum ....................126
The Carter Center at a Glance ..............129