81.65% voter turnout for Eleksyon 2025, says Comelec

More than 55 million or 81.65% of the total registered Filipino voters have cast their votes for Eleksyon 2025, marking the highest voter turnout percentage for the country’s midterm elections so far, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said Thursday. 

“Ang total number of voters who actually voted is 81.65% — highest in the history of the elections,” poll chief George Erwin Garcia said in a media briefing.

(The total number of voters who actually voted is 81.65% — highest in the history of the elections.)

“Natutuwa tayo dahil bagamat ito ay isang midterm elections, nag-register siya nang ganoong kadaming bilang ng botante na bumoto nitong nakaraang elections. Again, the highest in the history of the midterm elections,” he said. 

(We’re happy because it registered a high voter turnout compared to previous midterm elections. Again, the highest in the history of the midterm election.)

Data from the Comelec showed a total of 55,874,700 out of the 68,431,965 registered voters voted during the May 12 elections — higher than the 75.90 percent in 2019. However, the poll body said this is still subject to finalization based on the completion of the canvassing of votes by all boards of canvassers.

According to Garcia, the historic voter turnout may be attributed to youth voting, who make up the majority of voters for Eleksyon 2025 based on the data compiled by GMA Integrated News Research. 

“Base sa initial nating pagtingin talagang dumagsa ang kabataan sa pagboto nitong nakaraang 2022 elections. Ang boses nila, gusto ng sambayanan na mapakinggan…Naniniwala ako the vote of the youth matters,” he said. 

(Based on our initial assessment, the youth voted just like in the 2022 polls. They want their voice to be heard and I believe the vote of the youth matters.)

“Siguro maganda rin na leading to the elections, sana ma-credit lang ng konti, naging visible ang Comelec. Mula registration, ikot tayo nang ikot. Siguro na-challenge na ang mga kabataan sa kakakulit natin,” said Garcia. 

(It may also be a good thing the Comelec became visible. From the time of registration, we went around. Perhaps because of our persistence the youth was challenged to go out and vote.)

The Comelec chief added: “I honestly believe basta mabigyan mo lang ng tamang prinsipyo at issue ang mga kababayan natin, they will go to the polls”.

(I honestly believe as long as you provide the youth with the correct principles and issues, they will go to the polls.)

The poll body said there are 69,673,655 registered voters for the May 2025 elections, of whom 68,431,965 are in the Philippines while 1,241,690 are overseas. 

The Philippines held its midterm elections last May 12, 2025.

Local absentee voting

Meanwhile, the Comelec logged a 90.23% voter turnout for local absentee voting (LAV). This translates to 52,067 voters casting ballots out of 57,704 approved LAV applications.

Absentee voters in the Philippines include members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Philippine National Police (PNP), and media practitioners whose duty falls during election day.

Of the approved applicants, a total of 1,005 were media personnel, 29,030 were members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, and 23,448 were police officers.

The 4,206 voters from various government offices included the Comelec, Bureau of Jail Management and Penology in the Philippines, and the Philippine Coast Guard.The LAV was held from April 28 to April 30, 2025.

Canvassing

Meanwhile, the Comelec, sitting as the National Board of Canvassers (NBOC), reconvened on Thursday to tally the votes for senators and party-list organizations.

The NBOC completed the canvassing of 159 COCs on Wednesday — the highest number of certificates of canvass (COCs) canvassed by the NBOC in two days —  and is poised to finish the canvassing of the remaining 16 COCs for Eleksyon 2025. It is likewise waiting for the transmission of COCs from three posts abroad. 

"Inaasahan natin na sana, base sa coordination sa mga embahada, they will be able to send lahat by 3 p.m. and kung saka-sakali we'll be able to proclaim the winning senators by Saturday. For the partylists, we'll be able to proclaim the partylists by Monday," said Garcia.

(We're expecting to receive all COCs by 3 p.m. today and if that happens, we'll be able to proclaim the winning senators by Saturday. For the party-lists, we'll be able to proclaim the party-lists by Monday.)

"Kung saka-sakaling mangyari yun, that will be the fastest in history that we will be able to proclaim winning senatorial candidates that fast and the party-lists barring any issues or whatever. Sana magtuloy-tuloy ang canvassing ngayong araw," he said. 

(Should that happen, that will be the fastest in history that we will be able to proclaim winning senatorial candidates that fast and the partylists, barring any issues or whatever. We're hoping to finish the canvassing today.)

A total of 175 COCs are set to be canvassed by the NBOC. Of the figures, one was from the local absentee voting, 82 were from provinces, 26 were from highly-urbanized cities (HUCs), and 64 COCs were from overseas voting. —RF, GMA Integrated News

For more Eleksyon 2025 related content and updates, visit GMA News Online's Eleksyon 2025 microsite.