By Leslie Ann Aquino
Due to the long period of voter registration, the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) expects more than 4 million will register for the May 2022 national and local polls.
Commission on Elections (MANILA BULLETIN)
"We expect around 4.3 million because our registration period is long," Comelec Spokesman James Jimenez said in an interview Friday.
The system of continuing registration of voters will resume Monday, January 20 and will run until September 30, 2021.
Jimenez said people are also more interested to register when it is a presidential election just like the forthcoming polls.
"People are more excited when it's a presidential election," he said.
Earlier, the Comelec said those who will be at least 18 years of age on or before Election Day, or on May 9, 2022; who is a resident in the Philippines for at least 1 year and in the place where he or she intends to vote for at least 6 months on or before Election Day, may register.
Registered voters as of the May 13, 2019 midterm elections need not apply anew, said the poll body.
The Comelec said applications for registration, transfer of registration records, change or correction of entries in the registration record, reactivation of registration record, and reinstatement of name in the list of voters will be accepted during the period.
Persons with Disabilities, Senior Citizens as well as members of Indigenous Peoples or Indigenous Cultural Communities and other
members of vulnerable sectors may also update their records, said the poll body.
The Comelec said applications and updating of records shall be done "personally" at the Office of the Election Officer of the city or municipality where the applicant resides, Mondays to Saturdays including holidays, from 8 A.M. to 5 P.M.
There will be no registration on April 9 and 10, 2020 (Maundy Thursday and Good Friday), December 25, 2020 (Christmas Day), and April 1 and 2, 2021 (Maundy Thursday and Good Friday).
On Friday, the Comelec already announced the suspension of the voter registration in some areas in Batangas and Cavite affected by the Taal Volcano eruption recently.
Registration was also suspended on Makilala, North Cotabato due to earthquake there last month.
Aside from those mentioned, there will be no voter registration also in 23 municipalities of Palawan because of the upcoming plebiscite there.