THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) yesterday said the high number of deactivated voters has rendered the equally high number of applicants for voter registration “unsubstantial.”
In a phone interview, Comelec chairman George Garcia said it is unfortunate that the high number of applicants for voter registration has been countered by nearly five million deactivated voters.
“With 4.9 million deactivated, the number of new registrants are rendered unsubstantial,” said Garcia, noting the figure is way more than the initial three million projected number of registrants by the Comelec for the seven month voter registration period.
On Monday, the Comelec reported that there are 4,903,415 registered voters whose records were deactivated after the 2023 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan polls.
A large majority of those deactivated, or 4,898,744 voters, are those who failed to vote in two successive preceding regular elections as shown by their voting records.
In contrast, the Comelec reported on Tuesday that there are now 3,368,999 applicants for voter registration in the ongoing voter registration period for the May 2025 national and local polls.
With the voter registration period still ongoing until September 30, the poll chief urged voters who been deactivated to have their registration records reactivated.
To note, the voter registration activities are open for registration, transfer, change/corrections of entries in the registration records, reactivation of registration records, inclusion of registration records and reinstatement of name in the list of voters, and transfer of registration records from foreign service post to local.
“There is still time. Reactivate your voter registration records. You have until September 30,” said Garcia.
