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| Egypt Scrambles to Raise Turnout in Presidential Vote | Egypt Scrambles to Raise Turnout in Presidential Vote |
| (4 months later) | |
| CAIRO — After Egypt’s revolution three years ago, so many voters eager for democracy turned out for elections that officials had to scramble to accommodate the throngs. | |
| On Tuesday, the military-backed government confronted the opposite problem. Officials extended a scheduled two-day vote for a third day not because of long lines, but because so few people had shown up. | On Tuesday, the military-backed government confronted the opposite problem. Officials extended a scheduled two-day vote for a third day not because of long lines, but because so few people had shown up. |
| Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, the former army field marshal who deposed Mohamed Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood, Egypt’s first freely elected president, is still universally expected to win by a landslide. Yet the disappointing turnout has upended his supporters’ hopes that the vote would grant him new legitimacy after the ouster. | Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, the former army field marshal who deposed Mohamed Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood, Egypt’s first freely elected president, is still universally expected to win by a landslide. Yet the disappointing turnout has upended his supporters’ hopes that the vote would grant him new legitimacy after the ouster. |
| When polling places around the nation remained largely empty on the second day of voting, signs of panic swept the government. Officials initially extended voting hours on Tuesday by an hour, to 10 p.m. Then, a holiday was declared for state and private employees, as well as for banks and the stock market. Train and subway fares were suspended. State television said that the police would help the elderly or the sick get to polling stations, and it repeated admonishments from Muslim and Christian leaders about a religious duty to vote. | When polling places around the nation remained largely empty on the second day of voting, signs of panic swept the government. Officials initially extended voting hours on Tuesday by an hour, to 10 p.m. Then, a holiday was declared for state and private employees, as well as for banks and the stock market. Train and subway fares were suspended. State television said that the police would help the elderly or the sick get to polling stations, and it repeated admonishments from Muslim and Christian leaders about a religious duty to vote. |
| Officials also said that the government would fine those who did not vote up to $70 — a large sum for most Egyptians — and that unlike in the past, the fines would be enforced. | Officials also said that the government would fine those who did not vote up to $70 — a large sum for most Egyptians — and that unlike in the past, the fines would be enforced. |
| Analysts said the government’s scramble to increase the turnout undermined the endlessly repeated premise of the new military-backed order: that Mr. Sisi had the passionate support of an overwhelming majority of Egyptians to oust Mr. Morsi and to assume leadership. | Analysts said the government’s scramble to increase the turnout undermined the endlessly repeated premise of the new military-backed order: that Mr. Sisi had the passionate support of an overwhelming majority of Egyptians to oust Mr. Morsi and to assume leadership. |
| The extension of voting “looks desperate,” said Michele Dunne, a researcher on Egypt at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. “They have already lost control of the narrative because the story that is out there now is that the turnout is low and they are taking extraordinary measures.” | The extension of voting “looks desperate,” said Michele Dunne, a researcher on Egypt at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. “They have already lost control of the narrative because the story that is out there now is that the turnout is low and they are taking extraordinary measures.” |
| The low turnout may reflect the reluctance of Egyptians to return to such predictable, scripted elections after the fiercely free and competitive races held after the overthrow of President Hosni Mubarak in 2011. But several analysts said the lack of participation was also the latest indication that support for Mr. Sisi was weaker than his supporters in the media claim, adding to the evidence of the low turnout in a constitutional referendum in January and recent opinion polls. | The low turnout may reflect the reluctance of Egyptians to return to such predictable, scripted elections after the fiercely free and competitive races held after the overthrow of President Hosni Mubarak in 2011. But several analysts said the lack of participation was also the latest indication that support for Mr. Sisi was weaker than his supporters in the media claim, adding to the evidence of the low turnout in a constitutional referendum in January and recent opinion polls. |
| “It is a very polarized country, and nobody has got massive support,” Ms. Dunne said, but “his support is less than has been claimed, and it seems to be falling.” | “It is a very polarized country, and nobody has got massive support,” Ms. Dunne said, but “his support is less than has been claimed, and it seems to be falling.” |
| The signs of anxiety over the turnout began to emerge even before the polls closed on Monday, the first day of voting. | The signs of anxiety over the turnout began to emerge even before the polls closed on Monday, the first day of voting. |
| “People, come out so that you do not complain later,” Tarek Shebl, an election commissioner, pleaded in an interview on television, warning nonvoters that they would face heavy fines. | “People, come out so that you do not complain later,” Tarek Shebl, an election commissioner, pleaded in an interview on television, warning nonvoters that they would face heavy fines. |
| Pro-military television talk show hosts — who dominate the airwaves — warned breathlessly that the low turnout would repudiate the ouster of Mr. Morsi and embarrass Mr. Sisi. | Pro-military television talk show hosts — who dominate the airwaves — warned breathlessly that the low turnout would repudiate the ouster of Mr. Morsi and embarrass Mr. Sisi. |
| “What are we going to say to the world?” a talk show host, Amr Adib, screamed in apparent despair during his Monday night broadcast. “We have to open the prison, reinstate Mohamed Morsi, and tell him, ‘Your Excellency, Mr. President Morsi, go ahead and rule.’ ” | “What are we going to say to the world?” a talk show host, Amr Adib, screamed in apparent despair during his Monday night broadcast. “We have to open the prison, reinstate Mohamed Morsi, and tell him, ‘Your Excellency, Mr. President Morsi, go ahead and rule.’ ” |
| Deposing Mr. Morsi is Mr. Sisi’s main achievement, the event that introduced him to the Egyptian public less than a year ago. His supporters had counted on this week’s election to vindicate his insistence that, despite Mr. Morsi’s election in the first freely democratic balloting, his ouster reflected the desires of the vast majority of Egyptians. They argue that it should be considered a popular revolution, not a military coup. | Deposing Mr. Morsi is Mr. Sisi’s main achievement, the event that introduced him to the Egyptian public less than a year ago. His supporters had counted on this week’s election to vindicate his insistence that, despite Mr. Morsi’s election in the first freely democratic balloting, his ouster reflected the desires of the vast majority of Egyptians. They argue that it should be considered a popular revolution, not a military coup. |
| But Islamist and left-leaning groups urged Egyptians to boycott the election, arguing that the vote was unfair if not illegitimate. Most potential candidates refused to enter the race because the government appeared to back Mr. Sisi. He faced only one weak and ideologically similar competitor, the Nasserite populist Hamdeen Sabahi, leaving little suspense about the outcome. | But Islamist and left-leaning groups urged Egyptians to boycott the election, arguing that the vote was unfair if not illegitimate. Most potential candidates refused to enter the race because the government appeared to back Mr. Sisi. He faced only one weak and ideologically similar competitor, the Nasserite populist Hamdeen Sabahi, leaving little suspense about the outcome. |
| The only question was turnout: Would Mr. Sisi exceed the 13.2 million votes that Mr. Morsi received to win the 2012 presidential election? | The only question was turnout: Would Mr. Sisi exceed the 13.2 million votes that Mr. Morsi received to win the 2012 presidential election? |
| Despite the official threats and news media scolding, polling stations remained virtually deserted around the country on Tuesday, according to news reports. Even in Cairo, a stronghold of opposition to Mr. Morsi and support for military candidates like Mr. Sisi, the stations were empty. | Despite the official threats and news media scolding, polling stations remained virtually deserted around the country on Tuesday, according to news reports. Even in Cairo, a stronghold of opposition to Mr. Morsi and support for military candidates like Mr. Sisi, the stations were empty. |
| Mustafa Bakry, a politician and television talk show host who has led official rallies for Mr. Sisi, declared in a Monday night broadcast, “We are in a state of war, and turnout is the headline.” | Mustafa Bakry, a politician and television talk show host who has led official rallies for Mr. Sisi, declared in a Monday night broadcast, “We are in a state of war, and turnout is the headline.” |
| “Anybody who does not vote is giving the kiss of life to the terrorists,” he said. “Those who do not come out are traitors, traitors, traitors who are selling out this country.” | “Anybody who does not vote is giving the kiss of life to the terrorists,” he said. “Those who do not come out are traitors, traitors, traitors who are selling out this country.” |
| On another talk show, a viewer calling in broke down in tears. “The polling stations are empty, and I don’t know what to do,” she wailed. “I will go mad; I will die.” | On another talk show, a viewer calling in broke down in tears. “The polling stations are empty, and I don’t know what to do,” she wailed. “I will go mad; I will die.” |
| Mr. Adib was so distraught that one caller tried to console him. “Please, Mr. Amr, smile, do not fear,” the caller told him, promising that voters would go to the polls. | Mr. Adib was so distraught that one caller tried to console him. “Please, Mr. Amr, smile, do not fear,” the caller told him, promising that voters would go to the polls. |
| Some commentators blamed the hot weather. Mr. Bakry accused the Brotherhood of paying voters to stay home. Hussein Fahmy, a veteran actor, suggested in a television interview that Israeli spies might somehow be responsible. | Some commentators blamed the hot weather. Mr. Bakry accused the Brotherhood of paying voters to stay home. Hussein Fahmy, a veteran actor, suggested in a television interview that Israeli spies might somehow be responsible. |
| Analysts said the low turnout underscored the scale of the challenge Mr. Sisi will face if he hopes to unify the deeply divided country, still reeling from the ouster of two presidents in three years. | Analysts said the low turnout underscored the scale of the challenge Mr. Sisi will face if he hopes to unify the deeply divided country, still reeling from the ouster of two presidents in three years. |
| Mr. Sisi has sought to portray himself as a leader advancing the goals of the 2011 democratic uprising. But the new government has said it must first deal with a sometimes violent Islamist backlash before it can address the revolution’s demands for police reform, freedom of expression or social justice. And Mr. Sisi has argued that he is uniquely able to address all of those issues because he has the public trust. | Mr. Sisi has sought to portray himself as a leader advancing the goals of the 2011 democratic uprising. But the new government has said it must first deal with a sometimes violent Islamist backlash before it can address the revolution’s demands for police reform, freedom of expression or social justice. And Mr. Sisi has argued that he is uniquely able to address all of those issues because he has the public trust. |
| But the low turnout shows that “Sisi is not Nasser,” said Samer Shehata, an Egyptian political scientist at the University of Oklahoma, referring to former President Gamal Abdel Nasser. | But the low turnout shows that “Sisi is not Nasser,” said Samer Shehata, an Egyptian political scientist at the University of Oklahoma, referring to former President Gamal Abdel Nasser. |
| “He no longer has that kind of popularity,” Mr. Shehata said. “His shine is quickly fading. Egypt’s political divisions are deeper than ever, and his authoritarianism is increasingly obvious.” | “He no longer has that kind of popularity,” Mr. Shehata said. “His shine is quickly fading. Egypt’s political divisions are deeper than ever, and his authoritarianism is increasingly obvious.” |