Egyptian officials were counting votes on Thursday after an election set to hand President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi a second term following a crackdown on dissent that removed serious challengers.
As ballots are tallied for official results due on April 2, the focus will be on final turnout since Sisi faced no credible opposition. Critics say the contest recalled the kind of vote that kept Arab autocrats in power for decades before the 2011 Arab Spring.
The former military commander overthrew Islamist Mohamed Mursi, Egypt's first freely-elected president, during turmoil in 2013 that followed a popular uprising two years earlier.
Sisi was first elected in 2014 with 97 percent of the vote, but with a modest turnout of about 47 percent.
Authorities have been desperate to ensure a higher turnout this time around as Sisi sees attendance at polls as a referendum on his popularity and seeks a strong mandate to fight militants and push through tough economic reforms.
State-run media trumpeted Sisi's victory early on Thursday after the election predicted a "big turnout", and radio programmes said that most of the voters were from Egypt's fast-growing youth.
"The people have chosen their president", the front page of state-run daily al-Gomhouria said.
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