In an effort to generate voter enthusiasm, the Egyptian state news agency reminded citizens that voting is mandatory and those who do not vote, face a fine of up to 500 pounds ($28) – a sanction that in previous elections has not been enforced rigorously.
“I expect turnout and participation to increase in the coming hours, and I call on Egyptians to go out and vote,” said Prime Minister Sherif Ismail.
Salah Hasaballah, a spokesperson for the House of Representatives, said that the state has mechanisms to implement Article 43 of Egypt’s election law that stipulates that “those who abstain from casting their votes in the presidential election shall be fined.
‘‘Voting is a national duty and the state will enforce the election law and confront those eligible to vote in elections but unjustifiably failed to cast their ballots,” he added.
Wednesday is the third day of voting in an election many within and outside of Egypt say is a farce.
President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi is expected to cruise to a sweeping victory in the absence of real competition.
His only opponent, Moussa Moustafa Moussa, is an obscure politician loyal to Sisi. More serious challengers were forced to step down and several opposition politicians called for a boycott of the vote, saying repression had removed credible challengers.
Sisi is seeking a second term with the aim of repairing the economic damage of years of political turmoil and of defeating Islamist insurgents.
The president still has many admirers and he feels high strong voter turnout will show he has a mandate from the Egyptian people. However Sisi-led although austerity measures in recent years and a fierce crackdown on Islamists, secularists and liberals have reduced his standing among a few.
Two sources monitoring the election, including one from the National Election Commission, said about 13.5 percent of 59 million eligible voters had cast ballots on Monday.
National Elections Authority (NEA) spokesperson Mahmoud El-Sherif told journalists that they have not taken any decision to extend voting to Thursday.
