Egyptian officials notoriously inflate voting percentages, often by a margin of eight or nine to one. For poorer Egyptians voting is an opportunity to enjoy a little "kusa" [literally melon, but colloquially corruption payoffs. Last month's referendum saw a new incentive to vote, the correction of EDD.
Egypt | Something is brewing but nobody knows quite what | Economist.com: "The government claims the referendum vindicated what Mr Mubarak had called his �unbounded faith in the Egyptian people�. Officially, 53% of registered voters cast ballots, 83% of them saying yes. But while few dispute the positive vote, scarcely anyone believes the claimed turnout despite the fact that government-salaried preachers issued fatwas commanding the faithful to vote or that reportedly, in one district of Cairo, a rich NDP supporter offered a Viagra tablet to every voter. "
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