Comelec: Registration necessary to determine eligibility of voters in local polls

Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez (File photo from Philippine Daily Inquirer)

MANILA, Philippines — Registration is necessary to determine whether a person is eligible to vote in the local elections, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said Wednesday, in response to the statement of presidential candidate Leody de Guzman that voters aged 18 should have been registered automatically.

“Registration is necessary to determine a person’s eligibility to vote in local elections. So there would still be a need for an 18y/o to inform the COMELEC of his residence information, and thus sign up to vote in that locality,” Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez told reporters in a Viber message.

“Things would be different if we had a centralized residence registry—but we don’t,” he added.

De Guzman, also a labor leader, earlier welcomed the Comelec’s decision to extend the voter registration period, but he stressed that those eligible to vote should have been automatically registered. He said that other countries are already using an automated form of registration.

De Guzman noted that if the country adopts a system where eligible voters are automatically registered, the voting public would be freed from a bureaucratic process that is a major stumbling block for them to exercise their rights.

The Comelec earlier extended voter registration from October 11 to 30, moving the initial deadline of September 30, amid pressure from Congress and various sectors to extend the registration period.

EDV