Comelec deactivates over 300K overseas voters

The OFOV has been directed to remove from the overseas database the voting records of the overseas voters. (Pexels Photo)

MANILA — Over 300,000 overseas voters have been deactivated for failure to participate in two electoral exercises, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) reported on Tuesday.

Comelec-Office for Overseas Voting (OFOV) Director Elaiza David said as of Nov. 8, a total of 313,101 voters abroad have been removed from the overseas voters list.

“After due deliberation of the list of overseas voters whose registration records were due for deactivation, the Board resolves and orders the deactivation of 313,101 overseas voters who failed to vote in the 2016 and 2019 National and Local Elections, as shown in their voting records,” said the order of deactivation signed by David, who is also chairperson of the OFOV’s Resident Election Registration Board (RERB).

The OFOV has been directed to remove from the overseas database the voting records of the overseas voters.

It was also ordered to submit the updated data to the Information Technology Department of the poll body.

She added that the deactivation of voters overseas will be until this week.

Earlier, the Comelec announced that the registration period for Filipino citizens overseas will start next month for the May 2022 presidential polls.

The registration will start on December 16 and will run until September 30, 2021.

Comelec data showed there are a total of 1,822,173 registered overseas voters in the May 2019 polls.