spot_img
27.1 C
Philippines
Monday, February 17, 2025

Comelec: 80% voter turnout for mock elections

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) reported an 80% average voter turnout in a mock elections conducted across 15 areas nationwide on Saturday.

“It went very well. In 15 cities and municipalities, including areas in Mindanao, we conducted mock elections, all of which started promptly at 7 a.m.,” Comelec spokesperson John Rex Laudiangco said.

- Advertisement -

He told Dobol B TV that while some areas recorded turnouts exceeding 70%, the overall average was 80%. Region 13 (Caraga) posted the highest turnout at 97.5%, while Region 8 (Eastern Visayas) recorded the lowest at 46%.

Laudiangco explained that holding the mock elections in remote areas was intentional.

“We intentionally conducted the elections in remote areas to test the challenges and difficulties experienced by both Comelec and the voters,” he said.

Despite some logistical issues, Laudiangco highlighted the successful use of technology.

The Comelec earlier moved the resumption of the printing of ballots to Monday next week after Francis Leo Marcos dropped his Senate bid, forcing the Comelec to make changes anew to the serialization of ballots for the May 2025 midterm elections.

“The printing of ballots will not push through on Saturday as we earlier announced because of the sudden withdrawal of Norman Mangusin, also known as Leo Marcos from the senatorial race,” Poll chairman George Garcia told reporters.

Garcia likewise appealed to other political candidates who would like to withdraw from the coming polls to submit their application of withdrawal now so that the poll body would have time to update the faces before printing the ballots.

The poll chief gave aspirants until afternoon of January 24 to file their withdrawal at the Comelec office in Intramuros, Manila, saying that after the deadline, the poll body will accept their application but their names on the ballot will still be included.

“However, their votes would be considered stray because they are no longer candidates,” he said.

LATEST NEWS

Popular Articles