The Commission on Elections has received more than two million applications for voter registration, since it started last February, according to Atty. Jennifer Felipe of the Comelec Election and Barangay Affairs Department- Precincts Division.

Felipe said this figure includes new voters and those seeking reactivation, or transfer of voter registration.

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“Mayroon na kaming at least 2.2 million registrants since it started this year. But new applications will still undergo… may transfer, reactivation, not exclusively for new registrants,” she told the media on Thursday during the Register Anywhere Program and Satellite Voter Registration for local and overseas voters in a mall in Paranaque City.

(We have at least 2.2 million registrants since it started this year. But new applications will still undergo. There will be transfer, reactivation, not exclsively for new registrants.)

The Comelec urged voters not to wait for last-minute and register ahead of the September 30 deadline.

“Our registration will last until September 30, 2024. But please do not wait for the last week or the last month of registration,” Felipe said.

INTERNET VOTING

The poll body is set to pilot internet voting for overseas Filipinos in the 2025 midterm elections, to encourage higher voter turnout. In 2022, only around 600,000 of the 1.6 million registered overseas Filipino voters cast their ballots.

House Assistant Minority Leader and OFW Party List Rep. Marissa Magsino is optimistic the bill that provides for electronic voting as an option for overseas voting, apart from in-person and mail-in, will be passed by the House of Representatives before December, in time for 2025 implementation.

“Ito ay pumasa na sa committee hearing namin, pumasa na ng appropriations committee. Pupunta na ito sa plenary. Hopefully before December maipasa na natin, para 2025 full implementation na ito,” Magsino said.

(This has already passed through the committee hearing and appropriations committee. This will now go to the plenary. Hopefully by December we're able to pass it, so we could fully implement this in 2025.) 

“’Yung mga kababayan natin na nagta-trabaho sa abroad, kung minsan po, ang nagiging problema, hindi sila pinapayagan ng kanilang employer. Kung nasa laot sila, hindi rin sila pwedeng bumaba para bumoto,” she explained.

(Our countrymen who work abroad sometimes aren't allowed by their employers. If they are at sea, they cannot dock just to vote.)

Early this month, the Comelec held the second round of bidding for the P465.8-million Online Voting and Counting System (OVCS), the second largest contract for next year’s polls.