Comelec notes 23% partial turnout for overseas voting so far

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Thursday said that more than 380,000 Filipinos abroad have already voted, for a partial turnout of 23% so far in the overseas voting period from April 10 to May 9.

"Sa overseas voting maganda po yung turnout natin," Comelec Commissioner Marlon Casquejo said at a press briefing.

"Today we already have 23% voting turnout so far. Hindi pa po nare-record yung ibang hindi nag-submit ng kanilang data and we have, out of 1,697,130 overseas voters, already 385,437 voted."

We have had a good turnout in overseas voting. Today we already have 23% voting turnout so far, and we have not yet recorded those who have not yet submitted their data. We have, out of 1,697,130 overseas voters, already 385,437 who have voted.)

“So with this trend malamang malalampasan natin yung 2016 voting turnout which is 32%. Dito nasa 23% na tayo and hindi pa accurate kumpleto yung data natin,” he added.

(So with this trend we will probably surpass the 2016 voting turnout, which is 32%. Here we are at 23% and our data is not yet accurate and complete.)

Casquejo said 56,550 individuals have voted in America; 139,041 in Asia Pacific; 41,719 in Europe; and 148,127 in the Middle East and Africa.

He also cited the Comelec’s new “vote anywhere” and field voting concepts as reasons for this improved overseas voter turnout.

He explained that in the “vote anywhere” concept, Filipinos who are in another country but are registered in a different country are allowed to vote.

Meanwhile, in the field voting, he said the consul or the embassy staff will go directly to where the overseas Filipinos reside for them to conduct their vote.

A total of 2,245 individuals applied for the poll body’s vote anywhere concept, as of May 5. However, only 1,791 were approved and have already voted, according to Casquejo.

The Comelec commissioner said among reasons for disapproval are: no record as an overseas voter; a deactivated overseas voter registration record for failure to vote in two elections; and if the post where the applicant intends to vote is using postal mode of voting. — BM, GMA News