MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) plans to hold 34 mock elections by the end of December to test its COVID-19 protocols for the 2022 elections.
The poll body will simulate the entire election process in 34 barangays in Metro Manila and in the provinces of Isabela, Albay, Negros Oriental, Leyte, Maguindanao and Davao del Sur.
The first mock elections held in a Pasay City school on Oct. 23 failed after less than 500 of the target 4,235 voters participated.
Comelec wanted to find out how long the voting process would take with the pandemic protocols, including temperature screening, limited voters in a room, physical distancing, frequent disinfection and wearing of face masks and face shields.
Teopisto Elnas, operations chief of the Comelec, said they hope 4,800 voters would join the mock polls set on Dec. 29.