Voter turnout for 2018 barangay, SK polls seems high—Comelec

Comelec Spokesperson James Jimenez. INQUIRER file photo

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) said that voter turnout in the 2018 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections, even without the official raw data, is considered high.

“I don’t have the actual turnout figures yet, we’re collating that even as we speak, but it seems like, anecdotally, a lot of people turned out to vote,” Comelec Spokesperson James Jimenez said in an interview with Inquirer.net on Monday afternoon.

Jimenez added that elections have been conducted without any major disruptions, as Comelec has not declared any failure of elections. He also said that voting hours were only extended in polling precincts that opened later than expected.

“Wala tayong dineclare na failure of elections [We have not declared any failure of elections].  Voting period in some places had to be delayed its start, the difference was made up with a later closure,” Jimenez said.

Jimenez maintained though that the delays were not because of Comelec’s preparations, but are made up of “external things.”

“As far as Comelec is concerned, the factors which could have been attributed to Comelec’s prepartions were largely addressed before the elections.  So ‘yong mga other things, external things, ‘yon ang nagcause ng delay of elections,” Jimenez said.

“Halimbawa, there was one place kung saan ‘yong mga (poll) watchers walang ID, so they have to be removed from the place, so medyo matagal na-resolve ‘yan.  In another place, some of the board of election tellers came late, you couldn’t start without these people,” he added. /jpv

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