Comelec sees 2-M new voters as registration period begins

FILE: Commission on Elections (Comelec) Spokesperson James Jimenez at the National Board of Canvassers (NBOC) headquarters, Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) in Pasay City on Wednesday (May 15, 2019). (PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan)

MANILA — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) sees an additional 2 million voters as registration in its offices resumed on Thursday.

Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez said they are also looking to register another 1.2 million voters aged 15 to 17 years old for the May 2020 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) polls.

Jimenez said they were surprised by the long queues in local Comelec offices on the first day of the two-month voter registration period.

“I guess this is a sign that the Filipino people are now more politically active and aware,” he said in a press briefing.

“Yes, it is still surprising to me seeing the first day numbers. But it is a good surprise,” Jimenez added.

The voter registration period will run from August 1 to September 30, 2019.

Applications may be filed from Mondays to Saturdays, including holidays from 8 a.

m. to 5 p.m. at the Office of the Election Officer or any satellite registration site in the locality where the applicant resides.

Applicants to be accepted are those applying for registration, transfer of registration record, change/correction of entries, reactivation of registration record, inclusion of registration record, and reinstatement of name in the list of voters.

Qualified to register as a regular voter are those who will be at least fifteen (15) years of age on May 11, 2020, and residing in the barangay for at least six months on or before Election Day.

Those who will be at least 15 but not more than 30 years of age on Election Day may enlist themselves for the youth polls.