A DAY after reaching its target number for new voter registrants, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) yesterday said it is now looking to enlist over 2 million new registered voters for the December 2022 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) polls.
In a statement, acting Elections spokesman John Rex Laudiangco said they have increased their target number of voter registrants and is confident that such a target is also achievable.
“With the current new registrants both for Barangay and SK now in the total of 1,712,315, we have more than achieved the initial targets for the December 5, 2022 BSKE. We have already reached and exceeded the original target of 1 million new voters/applicants,” said Laudiangco.
“Given these latest high turn-out of applicants, we believe that by July 23, 2022, we will be able to breach our secondary/recalibrated total new registrants for both barangay & SK of 2,067,351,” he also said.
The poll official said the adjusted target number is based on the current estimates of the Philippine Statistics Authority.
“Out of the projected 2023 Philippine population of 112,892,781, (it is estimated that) those who will be of the voting age will total to 73,538,694,” explained Laudiangco.
He said the adjustment is also necessary for purposes of the Comelec’s preparations for the poll exercise.
“Given this high turn-out exceeding the original projected target, it is but proper to consider recalibrated estimates in order to properly plan for and execute election preparatory activities,” he said.
Based on the latest data from the Comelec – Election and Barangay Affairs Department (EBAD), there are now 1,913,386 new registrants nationwide, as of July 19.
Broken down into types of voters, those aged 15-17 years old (SK voters) had 1,199,301 applicants; 18-30 years old (both SK and regular voters) with 612,431 applicants; and 31 years old and above (regular voters) with 101,654 applicants.
Aside from new registrants, the Comelec also received 326,517 applications for transfer from other cities/municipalities; 85,488 applications for transfer from within the same city/municipality; 13,123 applications for transfer with reactivation; 4,799 applications for transfer with reactivation and correction of entries; 16,490 applications for transfer with correction of entries; and 83,498 applications for reactivation.
The poll body also received 19,543 applications for reactivation with correction of entries; 52,599 applications for change of names/correction of entries; 86 applications for inclusion of record in the Book of Voters; 378 applications for reinstatement of name in the list of voters; and 5,013 applications for transfer from overseas voting to local.
