Poll bets have until Nov. 29 to file for substitution

Candidates running in the 2019 midterm elections only have until Thursday to pull out of the race and file for substitution.

“This Thursday is the deadline for the substitution of candidates for the national and local elections 2019,” the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said in a statement.

The Comelec explained that the deadline had to be set so that the name of the substitute candidate could be included in the official ballots.

No substitution due to withdrawal shall be allowed after Nov. 29, it said.

“Beyond this date, a candidate who died or was disqualified by final judgment may be substituted by someone who bears the same surname until midday of election day,” the Comelec said.

The poll body has tentatively set January as the start of the printing of official ballots. —Tina G. Santos