Comelec urges 2M deactivated voters to sign up for 2017 youth, village polls

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) urged about two million deactivated voters on Thursday to sign up during the voters’ registration period to vote in the 2017 barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections.

Voters who were deactivated in the last two elections would be barred from exercising their right to suffrage in succeeding polls, according to the Voters Registration Act of 1996, Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez said.

“If you did not vote in 2013 and in the May 2016 elections, you will not be able to vote in the Oct. 23, 2017 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections, and subsequent elections,” Jimenez said.

Voters’ registration for the 2017 barangay and Sangguniang Kabataang elections resumed on Nov. 7 which would last until the end of April next year.

“We have a longer, five-month registration period. We are also open even on Saturdays and holidays to accommodate as many registrants as possible,” he said.

Deactivated voters could sign up by filing an application for reactivation before the local election officers. The body would also accept applications for new registration, for transfer or transfer with reactivation, and for change or correction of entries.

Applicants should bring their valid IDs, such as government-issued IDs, corporate IDs, current school IDs, senior citizens’ ID, and NBI clearances.

Up to 3 million voters were expected to register for the barangay elections, and 2 million voters for the Sangguniang Kabataan elections.

Some 1.632 million voters registered during the initial round of the voter registration last July 15 to 30, 2016.