And the political turmoil is far from over. The military, which took power after Mubarak's fall on Feb. 11, 2011, has promised to hand authority to the election winner by the end of June. But many fear it will try to maintain considerable political say. The fundamentals of Mubarak's police state remain in place, including the powerful security forces.
"The pressure will continue. We won't sleep. People have finally woken up. Whoever the next president is, we won't leave him alone," said Ahmed Maher of the group April 6, a key architect of the 18-day uprising against Mubarak.
The country must still write a new constitution to define the president's powers. That was supposed to be done already, but was delayed after Islamists tried to dominate the constitution-writing panel, prompting a backlash that scuttled the process for the moment.
The Muslim Brotherhood is hoping for a Morsi victory to cap their political rise, after parliament elections last year gave them nearly half the legislature's seats.
In the Mediterranean city of Alexandria, microbuses run by the Brotherhood ferried women supporters to the polls in the poor neighborhood of Abu Suleiman, one of the group's strongholds. The women, in conservative headscarves or covered head to toe in black robes and veils that hid their faces, filed into the station.
"I want to give the Brotherhood a chance to rule," said Aida Ibrahim, a veteran Brotherhood member helping voters find their station. "If it doesn't work, they will be held accountable," she said.
Some Brotherhood supporters cited the group's years of providing charity to the poor — including reduced-price meat, and free medical care. "Whoever fills the tummy gets the vote," said Naima Badawi, a housewife sitting on her doorstep watching voters in Abu Sir, one of the many farming villages near the Pyramids being sucked into Cairo's urban sprawl.
But some who backed the Brotherhood in the parliament election late last year have since been turned off.
In many places, the argument went right up to the doorsteps of the schools where voting was held. In the village of Ikhsas, outside Cairo, a group of neighbors got into a friendly but frank debate outside the polling station.
"I voted Brotherhood for parliament but I find they are inflexible in their opinions and want to take everything. I can't now find them in the country's top job," Bassem Saber, a 31-year-old accountant dressed in the traditional local robes, told the circle of men. He now backs Abolfotoh, who was ejected from the Brotherhood last year.
Khaled el-Zeini, a Brotherhood backer, said people were being unfair because the military blocked the group's majority in parliament from forming a government.
"We loved them and wanted them but we realized they are all about monopolizing power," Fares Kamel, a local trader, interjected, referring to the Brothers.
The secular young democracy activists behind the anti-Mubarak uprising have been at a loss, with no solid candidate reflecting their views.
In Cairo, 27-year-old Ali Ragab supports a leftist, Hamdeen Sabahi — because the poor "should get a voice" — but he admitted Sabahi didn't stand much of a chance.
He said his father and his father's friends were voting for Shafiq, thinking he will restore security. "I'm afraid Shafiq would mean another Mubarak for 30 more years."
For most of his rule, Mubarak — like his predecessors for the past 60 years — ran unopposed in yes-or-no referendums. Fraud guaranteed ruling party victories in parliamentary elections. Even when Mubarak let challengers oppose him in 2005 elections, he trounced his liberal rival and then jailed him.
Two weeks from now, a court is due to issue its verdict on Mubarak, 84, on trial on charges of complicity in the killing of some 900 protesters during the uprising. He also faces corruption charges, along with his two sons, one-time heir apparent Gamal and wealthy businessman Alaa.
The feeling of choosing at long last was overwhelming for some voters.
Medhat Ibrahim, 58, who suffers from cancer, waited in line at a Cairo poll.
"I might die in a matter of months. So I came for my children, so they can live," he said, breaking into tears. "We want to live better, like human beings."
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Associated Press writer Aya Batrawy contributed to this report from Alexandria, Egypt.
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