THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) yesterday reminded the 84,357 local absentee voters they only have until Friday to cast their votes or else they forfeit their right to participate in the May 2022 polls.
In an interview, Elections Commissioner George Garcia said all registered to vote under the three-day local absentee voting (LAV) can no longer cast their votes on May 9.
“They can no longer vote on May 9 if they missed this opportunity since their voter registration record is as local absentee voters,” said Garcia, adding: “Effectively, their opportunity to vote will be no more.”
Worse, Garcia said missing altogether the opportunity to vote in the national elections could have more implications come the 2025 polls.
“If you missed voting as a local absentee voter and also missed voting in the 2019 elections, you will surely be deactivated come 2025,” said Garcia.
On Wednesday, the Comelec opened the three-day local absentee voting nationwide and allowed the police, military, government personnel, and media men deployed on Election Day to vote ahead of the general public.
Garcia said the start of the LAV was generally peaceful. “We didn’t receive any reports of untoward incidents,” he said.
He said the Commission is hopeful that such a poll exercise will be replicated come May 9.
The LAV is set to end tomorrow, April 29.
