Egyptian election officials are expected to announce results on Thursday from the first round of voting in parliamentary elections.

The results from Monday's and Tuesday's polling in Cairo, Alexandria and seven other provinces were expected Wednesday. Egypt's al-Ahram newspaper says the announcement was delayed because ballots cast by Egyptians living abroad had not been tallied.

The Muslim Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party and the more conservative al-Nour Salafi Islamist groups are both claiming strong showings.

The election for seats in parliament's lower house is Egypt's first voting since President Hosni Mubarak resigned in February.

Voters in other provinces will cast ballots in two stages that will take place in the coming weeks. Egyptians will then cast ballots for the upper house. The process will not be over until March.

Earlier this week, U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon congratulated Egyptians for what he called their “enthusiastic participation at the ballot box.”