THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) yesterday said everyone who successfully filed their applications to become registered voters for the December 2022 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) polls cannot be considered as such just yet.
In an interview, acting Comelec spokesman John Rex Laudiangco said the applications are still subject to the approval or denial of Election Registration Boards (ERBs).
“Oppositions may and can still be filed (against applicants) until July 28, 2022,” Laudiangco said.
Laudiangco said ERBs nationwide are set to hold their respective hearings on the applications on August 1.
After hearing all types of voter registration applications, the ERBs are expected to post their decision if they are approved or disapproved.
The posts in the bulletin boards of the Offices of the Election Officer and city/municipal hall will include the names and addresses of the applicants, the dates of the applications, and the decisions of the ERBs.
The Comelec closed the voter registration period for the December 5 polls last Saturday. It opened on July 4 and ran for only three weeks.
Based on the Comelec – Election and Barangay Affairs Department (EBAD) data, 2,593,909 applications were filed nationwide, as of July 22.
Broken down into types of voters, those aged 15-17 years old (SK voters) had 1,615,144 applicants; 18-30 years old (both SK and regular voters) with 840,085 applicants; and 31 years old and above (regular voters) with 138,680 applicants.
Aside from new registrants, the Comelec also received 454,609 applications for transfer from other cities/municipalities; 123,424 applications for transfer from within the same city/municipality; 17,915 applications for transfer with reactivation; 6,315 applications for transfer with reactivation and correction of entries; 22,712 applications for transfer with correction of entries; and 112,649 applications for reactivation.
The poll body also received 25,878 applications for reactivation with correction of entries; 67,693 applications for change of names/correction of entries; 178 applications for inclusion of record in the Book of Voters; 41 applications for reinstatement of name in the list of voters; and 6,609 applications for transfer from overseas voting to local.
Overall, the running total number of all types of applications, as of July 22, stands at 3,431,932 individuals.
