Egyptians are voting for the second day in the country's first free presidential elections.

埃及首次自由总统选举已进入第二日。

Queues are being reported at some polling stations.

The election pits Islamists against secularists（世俗论者） , and revolutionaries against Mubarak-era ministers. In all, 13 candidates are running.

The military council which assumed presidential power in February 2011 has promised a fair vote and civilian¹ rule.

On Wednesday, there were large queues in many places, and voting passed off calmly for the most part.

However, protesters in Cairo threw shoes and stones at a convoy² of candidate Ahmed Shafiq, who was Mr Mubarak's last prime minister.

There were also reports that a group of female voters has been denied access to a polling station in the capital because they were wearing a full face veil.

The US hailed the election, with State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland describing it as a "very important milestone³" in Egypt's transition to democracy.

Fifty million people are eligible⁴（合格的） to vote, and preliminary results are expected over the weekend.

The frontrunners are: 
 Ahmed Shafiq, a former commander of the air force and briefly⁵ prime minister during February 2011 protests
 Amr Moussa, who has served as foreign minister and head of the Arab League
 Mohammed Mursi, who heads Muslim Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party
 Abdul Moneim Aboul Fotouh, an independent Islamist candidate

Until a new constitution is approved it is unclear what powers the president will have, prompting fears of friction⁶（摩擦） with a military which seems determined⁷ to retain its powerful position.