Number of new voters breached 5.7M — Comelec exec

More than 5.7 million new voters have so far registered with the Commission on Elections for the 2022 national and local elections, poll commissioner Rowena Guanzon announced Friday.

“5,727, 223 new registrants as of today, August 2021. If only 50% of deactivated voters of 6.3M will be reactivated, we can hit 8, 877, 233,” Guanzon said in a tweet.

In July, Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez told The Howie Severino’s Podcast that there are 4.3 million brand new registrants.

The brand new registrants only include those who just turned 18 and it excludes those aging 19 years old and above, Jimenez said.

Recently, Guanzon announced that the Comelec en banc has agreed to allow the reactivation of the registration status of PWDs and senior citizens who have failed to vote in two consecutive elections.

In a series of tweet posted by GMA News reporter Tina Panganiban-Perez, Jimenez said the poll body has authorized the use of online procedure for the reactivation.

It will involve sending registration forms online and coordinating with the Office of the Election Officer through e-mail.

“Hindi na sila kailangang magpunta kung nand’un din lang naman ‘yung kanilang biometrics sa aming record. Sabi ng batas, kailangang may biometrics ka sa sistema,” Jimenez was quoted as saying.

(They don’t need to go there personally if they already have their biometrics in our records. The law says voters should have biometrics in the system.)

However, those who have no biometrics in the database should personally appear before the Comelec’s election offices.

“This facility (online reactivation) will be open to everyone. May special features lang for PWDs, senior citizens and persons deprived of liberty,” he said.

(There are only some special features for the PWDs, senior citizens, and persons deprived of liberty.)

The Comelec will also ask for additional documentary requirement which is the supplementary data form, Jimenez said.

On the other hand, the Comelec spokesperson reiterated that there is no decision yet on the possible extension of the voter registration period, but the poll officials are already discussing the matter.

On Thursday, seven senators have filed a resolution urging the poll body to move the deadline for voter registration from September 30,2021 to October 31, 2021 to prevent “voter disenfranchisement” brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Apart from the lawmakers, more than 50 youth organizations have also asked Comelec to extend the voter registration period by at least one month especially in areas heavily-affected by lockdowns.

The poll body has suspended the voter registration in the National Capital Region and other areas that were under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) or modified ECQ.

As of June 22, the poll body said there are at least 60 million voters registered for the 2022 national and local elections.

The voter registration will end on September 30, 2021. — RSJ, GMA News