Egyptian authorities granted government workers a half-day off today in an attempt to bolster low turnout in the election for the first legislature since the last one was dissolved in 2012, state media reported.
Today is the second day of voting in 14 provinces, including Cairo's twin city of Giza and the Mediterranean port city of Alexandria. Voting in Egypt's other 13 provinces, including the capital Cairo, will take place next month.
Final results are expected in December and the 596-seat chamber is expected to hold its inaugural session later in the month.
The government has not released turnout figures for voting yesterday.
State-owned daily Al-Ahram., however, acknowledged that turnout was generally weak, but again gave no figures.
Associated Press reporters who toured polling centres yesterday in several districts of Giza said there were no long voters' lines such as there were in the multiple elections held since in the 2011 ouster of longtime autocrat Hosni Mubarak.
They said women and elderly people dominated those who cast their ballots.
The decision to give government workers a half-day off today reflected deep concern over the turnout, which analysts and observers have said would not exceed 10 per cent.
Al-Ahram said the government appealed to private business to ensure that their employees are able to get off work and vote.
