Because your voice does not negate

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Maat for Peace, Development and Human Rights

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International Organization for Electoral Systems (IFES)

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Your participation in the elections

Right ……… and duty

Why do you need to participate in the elections ?????

The revolution of January 25, 2011 brought down the system, and what is required now is to establish a new regime on democratic foundations, and this will only be done through elections, and if citizens participate in the elections, a new system similar to the old system will come because we did not participate in choosing it through elections, and as long as we did not participate in choosing it, it will not It works in the interest of the citizen and will not strive to improve public services and solve urgent problems such as unemployment, health and education.

In short, your participation in the elections will lead to a democratic system, which will lead to an improvement in your living conditions

So, what democracy ????

Democracy is the freedom of the individual to express his opinion and his freedom to take positions without coercion or compulsion from others, and it is a conditional freedom. For example, a person has no right to offend others or to his family, country and country on the pretext that he expresses his opinion and is exercising his right to democracy.

Hence, the true democratic system is one that guarantees all individuals the freedom to debate, express opinion, and choose their destinies and their way of life, and it is the system that guarantees the achievement of freedom and equality within society, and makes each person in it a positive person as long as society guarantees his right in his day and tomorrow, so his natural reaction is That the individual also gives that society all his capabilities and energies to build this society.

It means any elections?

General elections are the democratic method that is organized for the selection of rulers by the ruled periodically, and thus it is a form of popular participation in decision-making.

The modern state is distinguished by the existence of a freely elected representative body that represents people and undertakes the issuance of legislation and control of the government (Parliament, the National Assembly, the Legislative Council), and the goal of that is for an individual to reside or act on behalf of a larger group of individuals (the representative), and therefore elections are the means Through which representatives are chosen by citizens who have the right to vote

And what do you think every citizen has the right to participate in the elections?

Participation in the elections is a right and duty for every Egyptian who is 18 years old and has a national ID card because his name will be registered automatically in the voters' lists.

Some groups are exempt from the duty to participate in the elections, such as police officers, armed forces, and people with mental illness, and in some groups they are deprived of the right to participate, such as those convicted of crimes against honor, such as fraud, for example.

In what kind of elections in Egypt?

• The first type is the parliamentary elections, whether the People's Assembly or the Shura Council. They take place every five years for the people and six years for the Shura. These are the elections that will take place during the months of November and December 2011 and January 2012 for the people, and January, February and March 2012 for the Shura. It is the right of every Egyptian and every Egyptian. Years to vote in it (except for the disenfranchised and exempt)
• The second type is the presidential elections, which are the elections whose date has not yet been set, and every Egyptian who has reached the age of 18 has the right to vote in them (except for the disenfranchised and exempt)
• Local people's council elections, which are held every four years, and the date has not yet been set, and every Egyptian who has reached the age of 18 has the right to vote in it (except for the deprived and the exempt)
• Union elections, which are held for every trade union, whether professional or labor, and voting in them is limited to members of these unions

Your vote in 10 steps

• The first step

You must know the date of the elections in your governorate. They will be held in three stages, beginning on November 28, 2011 and ending on January 10, 2012 for the People's Assembly, and for the Shura Council, they will start on January 29, 2012 and end on March 11, 2012

The governorates of Sharkia and Menoufia, for example, will hold the People's Assembly elections in them in the second phase on December 14, 2011 and the run-off on December 21, 2011, while the Shura Council elections in them will be held in the second phase on February 14, 2012 and the run-off on February 21, 2012.

• The second step

You must know the subcommittee on which you will vote, and often it will be in a school or government facility within your district and it will be close to your address registered in the national ID card.

• The third step

You should know the candidates in your district, and there are two types of candidates as follows: -

• Candidates for the individual seats, and these are supposed to choose from them only two, provided that one of them is workers or farmers
• Candidates on the seats of the party lists, and from whom one party list is supposed to choose

Therefore, you must know who these candidates are, what are their political and cultural backgrounds, what are their programs and the programs of their electoral parties, and whether they are in agreement with what you wish for your country and yourself or not, in order to make it easier for you to choose.

• The fourth step

On polling day, you go to your subcommittee in which your name is registered and make sure you have your national ID card with you, and you can go to vote from eight in the morning until seven in the evening, as the polling station opens at eight in the morning and closes at seven in the evening.

• Fifth step

You enter the sub-committee and hand over the national ID card to the head of the sub-committee, who will search for your name on the voters' lists and then give you two types of cards: -

• The first card: in a specific color, in which the names of the candidates for my individual seat in the district are written in it, and in front of each of them is their electoral symbol and description.
• The second card: in a different color, in which the lists competing to win the constituency seats are written in it

• Sixth step

Take the cards and enter a secluded corner of the board with a blindfold, a table and a pen

• Seventh step

In the first card (designated for candidates on seats), place a mark in front of the names of two candidates, provided that at least one of them is workers and peasants, and note that if you choose less or more than two candidates, your vote will be void.

• The eighth step

In the second card (assigned to candidates for seats on party lists) choose a party list from among the lists presented in front of you, and you must choose only one list, and note that if you choose more than one list, or you do not mark any of the lists, your vote will be void.

• The ninth step

Fold each sheet of paper separately, then return to the committee chairperson to place each sheet in its designated box

• The tenth step 

Dip the thumb of your left hand into the phosphorescent ink bottle on the panel

rights The Elector   

• To receive from the chairperson of the subcommittee an election card with the stamp of the committee and the date of election open on the back
• That the committee headquarters have a screen that enables him to express his opinion in confidence
• Not to influence the direction of his voice from any of the people inside the subcommittee headquarters
• Blind voters and other persons with disabilities who are unable to prove their opinion on their own on the ballot card must make it verbally to the members of the committee, and they may choose between the committee secretary proving their opinion on the card, or entrusting that to someone who accompanies them inside the headquarters of the committee

The duties of the voter 

• Take your national ID card when going to the subcommittee's headquarters
• Not to carry weapons inside the election assembly
• Follow the instructions specified by the head of the sub-committee as the person responsible for maintaining order within the committee
• Prohibition of advertising for any of the candidates within the headquarters of the subcommittee, including disclosure of the names of the candidates or the list that he selected or intends to select

Parliament, its roles and how to choose its members

board The people

The People’s Assembly is the legislative authority, meaning it is responsible for enacting legislation and laws, approving the state’s general policy, the general plan for economic and social development, and the state’s general budget. It also oversees the work of the executive authority. The parliament exercises its legislative and oversight powers through several committees. The duration of the council is five years from the date of its first meeting. The People's Assembly consists of 498 members who are chosen by means of direct, secret, general election (and the President of the Republic may appoint ten others), of whom at least half are workers and peasants.

How to election Members of the People's Assembly

• The Republic is divided into 83 districts for the single system election, and 46 for the list system election
• Each of the departments of the individual system elects two members, at least one of whom is workers and farmers, for a total of 166 members
• Each district of the party list system elects a complete list with a minimum of four members for each district, for a total of 332 members
• With regard to individual constituency candidates, the two members who obtain more than half of the number of valid votes in the constituency shall win the seat, provided that at least one of them is workers and farmers, and if none of the candidates reaches this percentage, elections are repeated between the four highest-ranking candidates who obtained votes and the female candidates who obtain the highest votes shall win, provided that That at least one of them is a worker and peasant
• For candidates of party list districts, each list gets a number of seats equal to the sum of the number of votes obtained by the list divided by the number of valid votes in the district, bearing in mind that half of the winners are workers and farmers.

board Shura

The Shura Council is concerned with studying and proposing what it deems to be responsible for preserving support for national unity and social peace and protecting the basic components of society. The opinion of the Council must also be taken in the draft general plan for social and economic development, and to study what the President of the Republic refers to him in terms of draft laws or topics related to the state's general policy or its policy in Arab or foreign affairs

The Council consists of 270 members, two-thirds of its members are elected by direct, secret, general election, provided that at least half of them are workers and farmers, and the President of the Republic appoints the remaining third, the term of membership of the Shura Council is six calendar years from the date of its first meeting, and half of the elected and appointed members are renewed every day. Three years, and it is permissible to re-elect or appoint those whose membership period has expired. Those whose membership term expires at the end of the first three years is determined by a lottery conducted by the Board.

How to Electing members of the Shura Council 

• The Republic is divided into 30 constituencies for the single system election, 30 constituencies for the list system election.
• Each of the departments of the individual system is to elect two members, at least one of whom is workers and farmers, for a total of 60 members
• Each district in the party list system will elect a complete list with a minimum of two candidates for each district, for a total of 120 members
• With regard to individual constituency candidates, the two members who obtain more than half of the number of valid votes in the constituency shall win the seat, provided that at least one of them is workers and farmers, and if none of the candidates reaches this percentage, elections are repeated between the four highest-ranking candidates who obtained votes and the female candidates who obtain the highest votes shall win, provided that That at least one of them is a worker and peasant
• For candidates of party list districts, each list gets a number of seats equal to the sum of the number of votes obtained by the list divided by the number of valid votes in the district, bearing in mind that half of the winners are workers and farmers.

Before leaving this newsletter from your hands

you have to know ……………….

• The upcoming elections are the first elections after the January 25 revolution, and if we all participate in them, we will not achieve the results of the revolution
• Parliament is the one who chooses the committee for drafting the new constitution, so that its members must choose them at the faraza
• Parliament is the one that monitors the government, can remove it, and answer the government of others
• A member of parliament, his main role is in legislation, not only that he works for the people of his district
• Your voice is much more powerful than someone who buys it from you with money, because your voice cannot be costly
• Your participation in the elections is the same as martyrdom, and it cannot be kept secret
• In the elections, you will choose (2) candidates from the individual card and one list from the party list card
• Each candidate and each party must know their program, which is what they will present to you and the country exactly, and elect them on this basis.
• There is no development without democracy, there is no democracy without fair elections, and there is no fair elections without your participation
• After reading the newsletter, go ahead and distribute it to your neighbors, friends and loved ones, so that the good in it prevails.

The Bulletin - Because your voice is not suppressed