Comelec's voter registration for Election 2020: Schedule, requirements, process

MANILA, Philippines – As Filipinos, part of our social responsibility is to choose and elect the leaders of our nation. To be part of nation building, we should exercise our right to vote. To do that, you must first become a registered voter.

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has announced that the voter registration for the May 2020 barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) polls will resume on August 1.

Comelec Spokesperson James Jimenez said the schedule of voter registration will run until September 30, 2019, inclusive of Saturdays and holidays.

He added that SK voters no longer need to register anew upon turning 18 because their names will automatically be transferred, from the SK List of Voters to the regular List of Voters.

Teopisto Elnas, director of the Election and Barangay Affairs Department, announced that voter registration will not be limited to Comelec local offices in cities and municipalities.

“We will be using satellite registration venues such as malls and schools to reach out to new registrants,” he said.

During the 2019 midterm elections, as many as 63.66 million voters participated, including the voters abroad.

In the 2020 Barangay and Sk election, Comelec is expecting around 2 million new voters to register.

Voter registration for the Sangguniang Kabataan election

Any qualified Filipino who aims to practice their right to suffrage must first register as a voter under the Comelec.

Qualifications

Youth voters for Sangguniang Kabataan elections

• Must be a Filipino citizen
• Must be at least 15 and 30 years old on election day (for SK)
• Resident of the Philippines for at least one year and a resident of the city or municipality where you intend to vote for at least six months prior to the election

Regular voters for SK and Barangay Elections

• Filipino citizen
• At least 18 years old on or before Election Day
• Resident of the Philippines for at least 1 year
• Resident of the place where you intend to vote for at least 6 months preceding Election Day

Disqualifications to Register

You will be disqualified to apply for registration, if you have been:

• Sentenced by final judgment to suffer imprisonment for at least 1 year
• Adjudged by final judgment for committing any crime of disloyalty to the government or against national security
• Declared insane or incompetent by a competent authority

Requirements

To apply for registration, you must bring any of the following documents to prove your identity and age:

For Youth Voters

• Birth Certificate
• Baptismal Certificate
• School records
• Any ID or any legal document/s indicating therein the date of birth shall be presented

For Regular Voters

• You must bring any of the following valid IDs:
• Employee's identification card (ID), with the signature of the employer or authorized representative;
• Postal ID ;
• PWD Discount ID;
• Student's ID or library card, signed by the school authority;
• Senior Citizen's ID;
• Driver's license;
• NBI clearance;
• Passport;
• SSS/GSIS ID;
• Integrated Bar of the Philippine (IBP) ID;
• License issued by the Professional Regulatory Commission (PRC);
• Certificate of Confirmation issued by the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) in case of members of ICCs or IPs; and
• Any other valid ID

In the absence of any of the above-mentioned identification documents, the applicant may be identified under oath by any registered voter of the precinct where he (or she) intends to be registered, or by any of his (or her) relatives within the fourth civil degree of consanguinity or affinity.

No registered voter or relative shall be allowed to identify more than three (3) applicants.

Community Tax Certificates (cedula) and PNP clearance shall NOT be honored as valid identification documents for purposes of registration.

How to Register

• Bring your valid ID or requirements to your local Comelec office, or to any satellite registration areas in malls and barangays near you.
• Get the application form your local Comelec office or simply download and print it from the Comelec website.
• Fill out 3 copies of the form to apply.
• Senior citizens, persons with disabilities, and members of indigenous communities will fill out a Supplementary Data Form, and may be assisted by a qualified assistant.
• Have your biometrics captured.
• Keep your acknowledgement receipt.

For more information and questions on voter registration, you can visit the Comelec website here: Comelec Voter Registration.

— Sally, The Summit Express