NOTEL THIS STORY WAS FIRST PUBLISHED IN THE BOHOL CHRONICLE’S SUNDAY PRINT EDITION.
The province will have more voters in next year’s polls as the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) registered a 10.4 percent hike in its updated voters’ list as of last Friday.
Prov’l COMELEC Supervisor Eliseo Labaria told the Chronicle that from 822,394 voters, the list rose to 908,394 registered voters. However, he clarified the 2019 list was originally at 898,628 but was trimmed down to 822,394 after some voters were deactivated due to their failure to vote twice and those who died and transferred.
With their efforts to accommodate new voters, Atty Labaria said they are also preparing for the acceptance of certificates of candidacy (COCS) on Oct 1-8 or barely 20 days from today.
Under Comelec Resolution No. 10695, the official election period has been set from Jan. 9, 2022, to June 8, 2022
The campaign period for national positions is set for Feb. 8, 2022, to May 7, 2022. National positions include president, vice president, senators and party-list groups.
On the other hand, the campaign period for local positions has been set from March 25, 2022, to May 7, 2022. Local positions include House of Representatives members, regional, provincial, city and municipal officers.
However, campaigning is prohibited on Maundy Thursday and Good Friday—April 14 and April 15, 2022, respectively.
Labaria likewise said the poll body has also listed prohibited activities, including a gun ban during the entire election period and a liquor ban from May 8, 2022 to May 9, 2022.
He reminded that campaigning on the eve of Election Day until Election Day itself is also prohibited.
Also prohibited are the giving or accepting of free transportation, food or drinks, or things of value; soliciting votes or undertaking any propaganda for or against a candidate or any political party in the polling place or within 30 meters thereof; the opening of booths or stalls within a 30-m radius from the polling place; and holding of fairs, cockfights, boxing, horse races or any other similar sports.
The Comelec has also scheduled overseas absentee voting from April 10, 2022, to May 9, 2022. Registered overseas voters can cast their votes in Philippine embassies, consulates and other foreign posts.
The Comelec said Filipinos expected to be overseas from April 10, 2021, to May 9, 2022, could register as overseas voters. The deadline to file applications as overseas voters is on Sept. 30.
The Comelec added that those at least 18 years of age by Election Day, but will not be registered in the Philippines to vote for the one-month period before the 2022 elections are eligible to vote overseas.