Cairo (CNN) -- Egyptians voted Saturday in the nation's first free presidential election, a runoff that pits a conservative Islamist against a former prime minister who served in the regime toppled last year.
The election highlights the candidates' stark differences at the crux of the political turmoil gripping Egypt and for many voters, the two men presented a choice of lesser of two evils.On one side, Mohamed Morsi, an Islamist backed by the political arm of the Muslim Brotherhood. On the other, Ahmed Shafik, a former air force general and the last prime minister in Hosni Mubarak's regime."I was planning to boycott the elections because I feel neither candidate represents the Egypt we wanted, but my family convinced me," said Yousef Hamad, a retired English professor in central Cairo."These next two days will shape Egypt's history. I am standing in the long line to vote for the more experienced candidate who will hopefully save Egypt's economy before it completely collapses."Hamad did not reveal his vote but another Cairo resident said Shafik was his choice."The majority of our staff will be voting for Shafik," said Mohammed Ali, a hotel manager. "We need security and we want to recover economically. Not because Shafik is a great option, but let's say he is the best of the worst."if (typeof cnnArticleGallery == "undefined") {var cnnArticleGallery = {};}if(typeof cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList =="undefined"){cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList = [];}var expGallery81=new ArticleExpandableGallery();expGallery81.setImageCount(28);//cnn_adbptrackpgalimg("Political turmoil in Egypt", 1);
A protestor stands on a barricade of barbed wire as Egyptian military police stand guard. Egypt's Supreme Constitutional Court ruled that the Islamist-led parliament must be immediately dissolved.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length] = {"currentPicture":true,"x":8,"y":1,"pos":1,"title":"Political turmoil in Egypt"} 
An Egyptian boy waves his shoes as he joins supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood in a protest in Cairo's Tahrir Square against Mubarak-era prime minister and presidential candidate Ahmed Shafiq after Egypt's top court rejected on Thursday a law barring him from standing in a tense presidential poll runoff.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length] = {"currentPicture":false,"x":8,"y":1,"pos":2,"title":"Political turmoil in Egypt"} 
Protestors gesture towards military police through a barricade of barbed wire during a protest against presidential candidate Ahmed Shafiq outside the Supreme Constitutional Court on Thursday.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length] = {"currentPicture":false,"x":8,"y":1,"pos":3,"title":"Political turmoil in Egypt"} 
People walk past graffiti showing faces of ousted Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak, right; Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi, second right; former Secretary General of the Arab League Amr Mussa, second left, and former prime minister and presidential candidate Ahmed Shafiq, left, at Tahrir square. cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length] = {"currentPicture":false,"x":8,"y":1,"pos":4,"title":"Political turmoil in Egypt"}
A boy peers through barbed wire at Egyptian military police standing guard outside the Constitutional Court in Cairo on Thursday, June 14.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length] = {"currentPicture":false,"x":8,"y":1,"pos":5,"title":"Political turmoil in Egypt"} 
Presidential candidate Mohamed Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood, who is set for a runoff election against Ahmed Shafiq, speaks at a press conference in Cairo on Wednesday, June 13.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length] = {"currentPicture":false,"x":8,"y":1,"pos":6,"title":"Political turmoil in Egypt"} 
Former Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq, center, is seated before addressing a business conference in Cairo on Wednesday.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length] = {"currentPicture":false,"x":8,"y":1,"pos":7,"title":"Political turmoil in Egypt"} 
Egyptians read the front page of newspapers for sale outside of Al-Fatah Mosque in Cairo on Friday, May 25.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length] = {"currentPicture":false,"x":8,"y":1,"pos":8,"title":"Political turmoil in Egypt"} 
Ballots are counted by election officials in Alexandria as the country eagerly awaits the outcome Friday.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length] = {"currentPicture":false,"x":8,"y":1,"pos":9,"title":"Political turmoil in Egypt"} 
A supporter of presidential candidate Abdelmonen Abol Fotoh voices her opinions at Tahrir Square on Friday.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length] = {"currentPicture":false,"x":8,"y":1,"pos":10,"title":"Political turmoil in Egypt"} 
Supporters of various candidates debate outside Al-Fatah Mosque in Cairo on Friday.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length] = {"currentPicture":false,"x":8,"y":1,"pos":11,"title":"Political turmoil in Egypt"} 
Electoral officials monitor voting in Namul, a village north of Cairo, on Thursday, May 24, the second and final day of voting in Egypt's historic presidential election. Egypt is holding its first presidential election since last year's toppling of Hosni Mubarak, part of the wave of Arab Spring uprisings.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length] = {"currentPicture":false,"x":8,"y":1,"pos":12,"title":"Political turmoil in Egypt"} 
Egyptian women wait in line Thursday to cast their vote outside a polling station in Cairo. If no candidate gets a majority of the vote in the first round of voting, a second round will be held June 16-17. cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length] = {"currentPicture":false,"x":8,"y":1,"pos":13,"title":"Political turmoil in Egypt"}
An election worker checks the identification of a voter at a polling place Thursday in Namul as Egyptian soldiers stand guard.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length] = {"currentPicture":false,"x":8,"y":1,"pos":14,"title":"Political turmoil in Egypt"} 
A soldier stands watch in the Egyptian capital on the second day of voting. A pervasive fear exists that the powerful military, which has run the country since Mubarak's fall 16 months ago, could try to hijack the election.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length] = {"currentPicture":false,"x":8,"y":1,"pos":15,"title":"Political turmoil in Egypt"} 
An Egyptian man waits to cast his ballot Thursday north of Cairo. The vote is considered Egypt's first free and fair presidential election in modern history. cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length] = {"currentPicture":false,"x":8,"y":1,"pos":16,"title":"Political turmoil in Egypt"}
An Egyptian man drops off his ballot at a polling station Thursday in Cairo. The voting marks the first time Egypt has held a presidential election in which the results aren't known beforehand.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length] = {"currentPicture":false,"x":8,"y":1,"pos":17,"title":"Political turmoil in Egypt"} 
An Egyptian woman holds up an ink-stained finger after casting her ballot in Cairo on Wednesday, May 23, the first day of voting in the historic election. cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length] = {"currentPicture":false,"x":8,"y":1,"pos":18,"title":"Political turmoil in Egypt"}
A voter studies her ballot Wednesday in Cairo. Thirteen candidates are competing in the wide-open race, but two withdrew after ballots were printed.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length] = {"currentPicture":false,"x":8,"y":1,"pos":19,"title":"Political turmoil in Egypt"} 
Egyptian men fill out their ballots Wednesday in Cairo. Results of the first round of voting are not expected before the weekend.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length] = {"currentPicture":false,"x":8,"y":1,"pos":20,"title":"Political turmoil in Egypt"} 
An Egyptian man casts his ballot at a Cairo polling station. Some Egyptians told CNN that they waited up to four hours Wednesday to vote.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length] = {"currentPicture":false,"x":8,"y":1,"pos":21,"title":"Political turmoil in Egypt"} 
Egyptian men shield themselves from the hot sun outside a Cairo polling station Wednesday.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length] = {"currentPicture":false,"x":8,"y":1,"pos":22,"title":"Political turmoil in Egypt"} 
Egyptian men line up to cast their vote Wednesday in Cairo. Some 30,000 volunteers fanned out to ensure voting is fair, said organizers with the April 6 youth movement, which has campaigned for greater democracy in Egypt.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length] = {"currentPicture":false,"x":8,"y":1,"pos":23,"title":"Political turmoil in Egypt"} 
Egyptian men fill out their ballots at a Cairo polling place.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length] = {"currentPicture":false,"x":8,"y":1,"pos":24,"title":"Political turmoil in Egypt"} 
Presidential candidate Hamdeen Sabahy, a leftist dark-horse contender, flashes a sign of victory as he waits to vote at a Cairo school.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length] = {"currentPicture":false,"x":8,"y":1,"pos":25,"title":"Political turmoil in Egypt"} 
Presidential candidate Abdelmonen Abol Fotoh, a moderate Islamist, casts his ballot Wednesday in Cairo.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length] = {"currentPicture":false,"x":8,"y":1,"pos":26,"title":"Political turmoil in Egypt"} 
An Egyptian Coptic nun drops her ballot at a Cairo polling station Wednesday. cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length] = {"currentPicture":false,"x":8,"y":1,"pos":27,"title":"Political turmoil in Egypt"}
Egyptian women wait outside a polling station in Cairo. Many Egyptians seem uncertain of their loyalties to any particular candidate.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length] = {"currentPicture":false,"x":8,"y":1,"pos":28,"title":"Political turmoil in Egypt"} Political turmoil in Egypt Event.observe(window, 'load', function() {//report the first gallery image to ADBPif(typeof(cnn_adbptrackpgalimg) == 'function' && typeof(cnnArticleGallery) != 'undefined') {cnn_adbptrackpgalimg(cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[0].image, "");}});var currExpandable="expand28";if(typeof CNN.expandableMap==='object'){CNN.expandableMap.push(currExpandable);}var mObj={};mObj.type='video';mObj.contentId='';mObj.source='world/2012/06/15/wedeman-egypt-political-storm.cnn';mObj.lgImage="http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/dam/assets/120615062932-wedeman-egypt-political-storm-00033406-story-body.jpg";mObj.lgImageX=300;mObj.lgImageY=169;mObj.origImageX="214";mObj.origImageY="120";mObj.contentType='video';CNN.expElements.expand28Store=mObj;var currExpandable="expand38";if(typeof CNN.expandableMap==='object'){CNN.expandableMap.push(currExpandable);}var mObj={};mObj.type='video';mObj.contentId='';mObj.source='bestoftv/2012/06/07/pkg-egypt-street-fighter.cnn';mObj.lgImage="http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/dam/assets/120607110956-pkg-egypt-street-fighter-00014415-story-body.jpg";mObj.lgImageX=300;mObj.lgImageY=169;mObj.origImageX="214";mObj.origImageY="120";mObj.contentType='video';CNN.expElements.expand38Store=mObj;var currExpandable="expand48";if(typeof CNN.expandableMap==='object'){CNN.expandableMap.push(currExpandable);}var mObj={};mObj.type='video';mObj.contentId='';mObj.source='bestoftv/2012/06/15/exp-early-wedeman-egypt-elections.cnn';mObj.lgImage="http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/dam/assets/120615101155-exp-early-wedeman-egypt-elections-00002001-story-body.jpg";mObj.lgImageX=300;mObj.lgImageY=169;mObj.origImageX="214";mObj.origImageY="120";mObj.contentType='video';CNN.expElements.expand48Store=mObj;var currExpandable="expand58";if(typeof CNN.expandableMap==='object'){CNN.expandableMap.push(currExpandable);}var mObj={};mObj.type='video';mObj.contentId='';mObj.source='bestoftv/2012/06/14/exp-eb-egypt-coup-us.cnn';mObj.lgImage="http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/dam/assets/120615120842-exp-eb-egypt-coup-us-00020125-story-body.jpg";mObj.lgImageX=300;mObj.lgImageY=169;mObj.origImageX="214";mObj.origImageY="120";mObj.contentType='video';CNN.expElements.expand58Store=mObj;Still, others could not stomach a vote for a man who remains a symbol of the former regime of Hosni Mubarak, ousted in a popular uprising in February 2011."I will be voting for Mohamed Morsi because the country needs real change," said Mohammed Zain, who lives in Egypt's second-largest city of Alexandria."We deserve a new direction," he said. "We have no problem if Shafik wins but we fear that this will lead to instability. The country doesn't need that."Without a parliament, a president will wield extraordinary power, dealing directly with the military rulers while a new constitution is written and until new parliamentary elections are held."The people who believed in parliament elections were let down and their votes didn't mean anything, which angers me," said Ahmed Nassar, a Cairo graduate student.Some disgruntled voters unhappy with both candidates launched a campaign to invalidate ballots, according to Mohamed Ghoneim, the founder of the group.Members of the group marked X on both candidates' names on the ballot, nullifying the vote, he said.Voters are casting ballots Saturday and Sunday at a time when Egypt has neither a parliament nor a new constitution that defines the president's powers.A shocking court ruling Thursday dissolved parliament and raised serious questions on whether the powerful Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, Egypt's de facto rulers since Mubarak's ouster, will relinquish power.The biggest question facing 50 million Egyptians eligible to cast ballots in the runoff is what happens next."I voted for Shafik because I don't want Egypt to become Iran," said Cairo taxi driver Taher Fathi, showing off his purple ink-stained finger as proof that he voted.Analysts: 'Soft coup' court ruling could reignite Egyptian revolutionThe runoff follows a May election that failed to produce a winner with a clear majority. Polls were open for 12 hours starting at 8 a.m. both Saturday and Sunday.Votes must be counted by Monday, with final results scheduled to be announced by Thursday.The Supreme Presidential Electoral Commission has approved licenses for 53 organizations to observe the elections, including at least three international groups -- the U.S.-based Carter Center, the South Africa-based Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa and the Arab Network for Monitoring of Elections.Though anger festered over the court's ruling on the parliament, Cairo's streets remained relatively quiet compared with the popular demonstrations in February 2011.A wild election weekend for Egypt, France and GreeceCNN's Saad Abedine, Ben Wedeman and Faith Karimi contributed to this report.
June 16, 2012 -- Updated 0521 GMT (1321 HKT) 
Ahmed Shafik was Hosni Mubarak's last prime minister. Now he hopes to become Egypt's first democratically elected president.June 16, 2012 -- Updated 0618 GMT (1418 HKT) 
Mohamed Morsi is an Islamist who vows to stand for democracy, women's rights, and peaceful relations with Israel.June 7, 2012 -- Updated 2333 GMT (0733 HKT) 
CNN's Ben Wedeman reports on a disillusioned, diminutive street fighter in the Egyptian revolution.June 7, 2012 -- Updated 1403 GMT (2203 HKT) 
The revolution forced equality but no system is in place to support it, researcher says.June 6, 2012 -- Updated 1535 GMT (2335 HKT) 
In 2011 young Egyptians marched for charge. Now the nation's new leaders must tackle the nation's education.June 14, 2012 -- Updated 2031 GMT (0431 HKT) 
The religious and political group was founded on the belief that Islam is not simply a religion but a way of life.
Visit CNN Arabic for the latest news on developments in the Egyptian presidential elections, in Arabic.May 19, 2012 -- Updated 0938 GMT (1738 HKT) 
CNN's Ben Wedeman meets Egypt's queen of the cooking airwaves who serves up meals alongside political advice.May 26, 2012 -- Updated 0946 GMT (1746 HKT) 
Ben Wedeman explains how much has changed since the last presidential election, but much remains the same.
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