UNLIKE in 2016, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) is confident its mall voting project will push through during the conduct of the October 30 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE).
In an interview, Comelec chairman George Garcia said they do not see a repeat of the fate of the mall voting initiative in 2016, which was cancelled just days prior to Election Day.
“It was unfortunate that in 2016, we were almost able to hold mall voting in the country.
But now, the entire Comelec en banc approved this (project). We all supported this initiative,” Garcia said.
The poll chief said the full support comes after the success of the Register Anywhere Project (RAP), which was pilot tested in selected malls.
“We thought that if we can do registration in malls, why not do voting in malls as well,” said Garcia.
Back in the 2016 polls, then Comelec chairman Andres Bautista pushed for the mall voting project. But, with barely two weeks before Election Day, it was thumbed down by the Commission en banc with a vote of 4 against and 3 in favor.
Back then, the Comelec en banc reasoned that the Omnibus Election Code (OEC) does not allow the transfer of polling precincts within 45 days before a regular election.
For the October 30 polls, five SM malls and five Robinsons malls are already set to host mall voting.
Eyed as voters, estimated to be at 300,000 individuals, are those belonging to barangays near the participating malls.
According to the poll body, the 1987 Constitution allowed the Comelec to determine “the number and location of polling places.” — Gerard Naval
