Comelec starts deployment of local absentee ballots

This file photo shows a Commission on Elections staff member during the May 13, 2019, midterm elections. INQUIRER file photo / LYN RILLON

MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) started the deployment of local absentee ballots and poll paraphernalia on Wednesday.

The ballots and equipment will be sent to government agencies and media entities.

“The Committee on Local Absentee Voting (CLAV) has commenced the deployment of local absentee ballots and other election paraphernalia to government agencies, [Armed Forces of the Philippines, Philippine National Police], media entities and corporations,” the Comelec posted on its account on social media site Twitter.

NOTICE: Ballots for local absentee voting commences deployment#VoteSAFEPilipinas #BumotoKa #NLE2022 pic.twitter.com/0OmPviEzGb

— COMELEC (@COMELEC) April 13, 2022

The local absentee voting is a system where government officials and employees, including uniformed personnel, and media members are allowed to cast their votes “in places where they are not registered voters but where they are temporarily assigned to perform election duties on election day, or in case of media voters, they will not be able to vote due to the performance of their functions in covering and reporting on the elections.”

Local absentee voting for the May 9 elections will be from April 27 to 29.

Meanwhile, overseas absentee voting began on April 10 and will end on May 9. Around 1.6 million Filipinos abroad are eligible to vote for this year’s elections.

JPV