Comelec 95% ready for 2023 barangay, SK polls –Garcia

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) was nearly ready for the 2023 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) set for October 30, poll Chairman George Garcia said Sunday.

“Mga 95% na kami. Magpi-print na lang kami ng balota para sa mga nagpa-rehistro mula December 12 hanggang January 31,” Garcia said in a Super Radyo dzBB interview.

(We are about 95% ready. We just have to print ballots for those who registered from December 12 to January 31.)

He said that the ballot printing for this batch was delayed due to the 491,000 double or multiple registrants identified by the Election Registration Board. 

Garcia said earlier that the poll body had started filing cases against 7,000 individuals with double or multiple registrations. He, however, explained that those with double registrations could still vote but would have to face criminal charges.

These double or multiple registrations would be removed by the Election Registration Board, which would convene before the October 2023 BSKE.

“Mga first week ng August, available na ang malinis at maayos na listahan ng mga botante sa buong bansa,” Garcia added.

(The clean and orderly national voters list will be available by the first week of August.)

Around 1.5 million new voters had registered by January 31.

There are 91 million voters in the country, of which 25 million are Sangguniang Kabataan voters and 66 million are regular voters, according to Garcia.

With this, Comelec estimated that the total number of voters had increase to 92.5 million. — DVM, GMA Integrated News