'High turnout' in Egypt referendum
BBC Online
Source: BBC
Counting of the votes is now well underway - but it is not clear when an official result will be announced.
Egyptian officials have spoken of a high turnout in a referendum on a
new constitution, with voters expected to endorse the removal of
Islamist President Mohammed Morsi.
Top election official Nabil Salib told state TV that voter turnout
was higher than in previous polls but gave no precise figure, AP news
agency said.
The second day of voting on Wednesday passed off largely peacefully.
Nine people died on Tuesday in clashes involving Mr Morsi's supporters.
Some 400 people are said to have been arrested over the two days for disrupting the vote.
A senior interior ministry official told a private TV channel that
turnout in the vote may exceed 55%, Reuters news agency said. He said
preliminary results indicated that approval of the constitution may be
more than 95%.
However, turnout was reported to be low in Muslim Brotherhood strongholds.
Salib did not give a figure for voter turnout but said results were
expected to be announced on Friday. State TV said initial results showed
50% turnout with more than 90% voting yes.
"The turnout will be the highest if compared to past polls," he was quoted as saying.
In the December 2012 constitutional referendum held while Mohammed
Morsi was in power, 33% of Egypt's 53 million voters took part in the
ballot. It was approved by 64% of voters.
The BBC's Kevin Connolly in Cairo says that there is no serious doubt
that the authorities will get the yes vote they crave, not least
because the referendum has been boycotted by President Morsi's Muslim
Brotherhood party.
Our correspondent says that the level of participation in the poll is
crucial - the army needs a strong turnout to endorse its own political
powers and pave the way for its leader Gen Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to run
for president.
It is the country's third constitutional referendum in as many years -
the army hopes that it will draw a line under a period of often violent
turmoil.
Morsi supporters blocked a metro station in a Cairo suburb, stopping
some trains, security officials said, but were quickly dispersed by
police.
The new charter is to replace the constitution passed during the rule
of Morsi before he was removed last July. It remains unclear when
exactly full results will be announced.
The BBC's Sally Nabil, at a polling station in Alexandria on
Wednesday, said the number of people queuing as voting began was
noticeably lower than at the same time the previous day.
However, another polling station for voters from outside Alexandria was busy, our correspondent reports.
Correspondents in Cairo also suggest that polling stations were not
as busy as on Tuesday. The BBC's Ahmed Kilany says it was a similar
story in the southern cities of Assiut and Sohag.
A huge security operation was in evidence throughout the two days of
voting, with some 160,000 soldiers and more than 200,000 policemen
deployed nationwide.
'Work hard'
The referendum is believed likely to lead to elections later in the
year and Gen Sisi, who backed the overthrow of Morsi, is considered
almost certain to stand for president.
Wednesday's voting passed off mostly peacefully, in contrast to
Tuesday. This voter in Tahrir Square was celebrating his participation
in the vote
