MANILA — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Friday released its guidelines for local absentee voting (LAV), a system that allows individuals like journalists and government officials to vote ahead of election day.

In a resolution dated Oct. 27, Comelec set the deadline for applications for LAV on March 7, 2022.

The following government officials, employees and media practitioners are qualified to avail of local absentee voting: pic.twitter.com/gvSEUmin6y

— Ina Reformina (@InaReformina) October 29, 2021

Local absentee voting will take place on April 27-29, 2022, or more than a week ahead of the regular voters.

LAV is open to the following:

• Government officials and employees
• Members of the Philippine National Police and Armed Forces of the Philippines
• Media

Comelec noted local absentee voters will only be allowed to vote for national positions.

Deadline for applications for local absentee voting (LAV) for both qualified government officials and employees AND members of the mass media is on March 7, 2022, according to Comelec Resolution 10725 )Rules and Regulations for LAV 2022).#Halalan2022 pic.twitter.com/nNLjo2gI9L

— Ina Reformina (@InaReformina) October 29, 2021

APPLICATION

LAV applicants need to fill out a standard form, which must be under oath.

A proof is needed that an applicant will not be able to vote in their designated polling places due to election-related duties.

Applications will be approved by the National Committee on Local Absentee Voting. A final list of approved applicants will be released not later than April 21, 2022.

Media practitioners will vote at the local Comelec office where they filed their local absentee voting applications, while the heads of government offices shall designate the place of voting for government workers not later than April 12, 2022.

Voting will be supervised by the local Comelec office which has jurisdiction over the venue.

PANDEMIC PROTOCOLS

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, standard health and safety protocols shall be observed at the voting place, which should be spacious and well-ventilated.

Strict crowd management and a queuing system shall also be implemented, as well as single direction flow managements, signage, barriers and other queue management measures.

COVID-19 marshals shall likewise be designated.

Any absentee voter who shall manifest COVID-19 symptoms upon screening at the voting place will be allowed to vote in an isolation polling place.

Govt officials, employees qualified to avail of local absentee voting, who test positive for COVID-19 on Apr 27, 28, 29 and are quarantined within the premises of their offices, camps where the local absentee voting shall take place, SHALL BE ALLOWED TO CAST THEIR VOTE. pic.twitter.com/ngpIGC25jc

— Ina Reformina (@InaReformina) October 29, 2021

Government workers who test positive for COVID-19 on April 27, 28, 29 and are quarantined within the premises of their offices or camps where the local absentee voting shall take place will be allowed to vote. The ballots will be delivered to their quarantine facility.

Counting of votes will be done on May 9, 2022, election day, at the close of polls in a venue designated by the local absentee voting committee.

It will be done manually and open to the public and in the presence of authorized watchers who are required to submit a negative RT-PCR test result.

The canvass of votes will also commence on May 9, and will be conducted by a special canvassing board for local absentee voting.

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