Egypt's elections begin, with a long way to go - Mark Lynch

http://mideast.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2011/11/27/egypts_election_eve

These problems will all be magnified by Egypt's long, drawn-out election process. Tunisia, like most other normal countries, had its foundational election in a single day and quickly announced the results.  Egypt's election will continue for six weeks.  Next week will be the run-off for round one, and then two more rounds will follow.  Voting will not conclude until January.  This creates a very different dynamic. Instead of one, adrenaline-fueled moment of enthusiasm which can slice through the political polarization and inevitable complaints, Egypt is going to have long weeks to digest and dissect each round of voting. 

I'm hoping the riots over the last several weeks were simply growing pains, a population unsure of how to rally democratically, opposing a military government that they are unsure will ever leave. Maybe the extended voting process will lead to a more relaxed atmosphere, with less violence. Conversely, it could lead to more violence if their party of choice is eliminated in the early rounds, or if corruption is widely suspected.