Violence has marred the first day of Egypt's two-day referendum on a new constitution, with reports of nine protesters killed.
The referendum could pave the way for fresh elections and is the first ballot since the military ousted the country's first democratically elected president, Mohammed Morsi, last year.
Voters gather outside a polling station in Kafr el-Sheikh. Photo: AFP
The new charter aims to replace the constitution passed under the Islamist former president months before he was ousted by the army.
The International Commission of Jurists has described the draft constitution as highly flawed, and says the poll has taken place within a context of fear, intimidation and repression. However, supporters see the vote as a milestone towards stability.
Authorities are calling for a big "Yes" vote and it was hard to find anyone who said they were thinking about voting "No", the BBC reports.
Voter after voter said on Tuesday this wasn't about setting term limits on future presidents, or codifying the army's special powers. This was about saying yes to another new start for Egypt.
From some provincial cities came reports of deaths in clashes between Islamists and the security forces.
Four people were killed and more wounded in clashes in the Upper Egypt city of Sohag, though details of the incident are disputed. One person died in Nahia, in the Giza district of Cairo. Another was killed during an anti-referendum protest in Bani Suef, south of Cairo. Three people - supporters of Mr Morsi according to security sources - are reported to have been shot dead in the Cairo suburb of Kerdasa.
However, authorities will feel that so far, at least, it's been peaceful enough to be credible.
Shortly before voting began on Tuesday, an explosion took place near a court building in Cairo's Imbaba district, although no casualties were reported.
A huge security operation is being mounted for the two days of voting. The interior ministry says 200,000 police officers, 150 central security units and 200 combat groups are being deployed around polling stations on both days.
Interim Prime Minister Hazem Beblawi has called the referendum the "most critical moment" for Egypt.
