Early voting pilot run for seniors, PWDs successful — Comelec

Comelec Chairman George Erwin Garcia  (Noy Morcoso/INQUIRER.net.) 

MANILA, Philippines — Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman George Garcia on Monday said that the pilot run of early voting hours during the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections in Naga City and Muntinlupa City was successful.

“Again napaka-successful po, talagang dinumog po ng ating mga nakatatanda at mga may kapansanan, bagama’t initially po nagkalituhan kasi po ‘yung ibang parte ng ating banda akala nila ang early voting ay sa buong bansa,” he said.

(Again it was very successful, a lot of senior citizens and differently-abled individuals took part,  although initially there was a confusion because the other parts of our country thought that early voting was nationwide.)

Garcia that they are still pursuing and awaiting a law on early voting hours for senior citizens and persons with disability.

The Comelec) has released the voter turnout data from the pilot testing of early voting hours conducted in Muntinlupa City and Naga City, Camarines Sur.

The early voting hours were made available only to senior citizens, persons with disabilities, heavily pregnant women, and their assistants.

Under the scheme,  the said individuals may cast their votes from 5 a.m. to 7 a.m., which is earlier than the usual 7 a.m. start of voting.

Naga City, Camarines Sur

• Persons with disabilities: 929 registered, 594 actual voters
• Senior citizens: 22,319 registered, 7,732 actual voters
• Heavily pregnant women: 108 voters
• Voter’s assistant / companion: 498 voters

Muntinlupa City

• Persons with disabilities: 2,179 registered, 1,177 actual voters
• Senior citizens: 51,551 registered, 13,768 actual voters
• Heavily pregnant women: 75 voters
• Voter’s assistant / companion: 218 voters

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