FIVE days after the start of the voter registration period for the December 2022 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) polls, nearly half a million individuals have already filed their applications to become registered voters.
Data from the Commission on Elections (Comelec) – Election and Barangay Affairs Department (EBAD) show that there are 487,628 new registered voters nationwide as of July 8.
Broken down into types of voters, those aged 15-17 years old (SK voters) had 302,040 applicants; 18-30 years old (both SK and regular voters) with 157,925 applicants; and 31 years old and above (regular voters) with 27,663 applicants.
Aside from new registrants, the Comelec also received 88,471 applications for transfer from other cities/municipalities; 21,270 applications for transfer from within the same city/municipality; 3,986 applications for transfer with reactivation; 1,323 applications for transfer with reactivation and correction of entries; 4,712 applications for transfer with correction of entries; and 27,883 applications for reactivation.
The poll body also received 6,303 applications for reactivation with correction of entries; 18,577 applications for change of names/correction of entries; 58 applications for inclusion of record in the Book of Voters; 11 applications for reinstatement of name in the list of voters; and 1,697 applications for transfer from overseas voting to local.
Overall, the running total number of all types of applications, as of July 8, stands at 661,919 individuals.
The voter registration period for the December 5 poll exercise opened on July 4 and will run until July 23, 2022.
Meanwhile, the Comelec reminded the public that they should first check for possible satellite registration activities by their city/municipal Offices of Election Officers (OEO) before going to Comelec local offices to register.
The Comelec said that it is unlikely that OEOs will simultaneously hold voter registration activities in their office as well as off-site.
“If the Office of the Election Officer is on satellite registration, their office premises will most likely be closed since they are conducting off-site registration,” said the Comelec.
To note, the schedules of satellite registration activities are regularly posted on the official social media channels of the Comelec.
