Comelec to public: Help rid records of ‘ghost voters’

Comelec office. FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — As All Saints’ Day looms, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) has asked the public to help them expunge their departed relatives from the book of voters lest they continue to be counted.

“We need the assistance of the public in determining if their dearly departed are still in the book of voters,” Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said in a statement Friday.

“Please verify the registration status of your dearly departed loved ones using the Precinct Finder facility on the Comelec website. If their registration status is still active, please report it immediately to the local Comelec office so that their names may be removed from the voters list,” he said.

Reports and complaints of ghost voters have been a recurring issue during elections.

The Comelec has created the online Precinct Finder facility on its website, www.comelec.gov.ph to allow registered voters to find where their voting precint is.

Jimenez said the public may check if their dead relatives were still in the active list in the book of voters through the Precint Finder.

“It is the duty of the living to vote and to make sure the dead are allowed to rest in peace,” he said.

Removing the names of the deceased in the list will help ensure that elections are credible, Jimenez added.

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