ILOILO City – With only five days left before the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections on Monday, Oct. 30, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) urged registered voters to arrive at polling centers early.
Voting will begin at 7 a.m. and conclude at 3 p.m. Comelec will implement a “first come, first served” voting system.
“Voters will be admitted based on their arrival; it’s a first come, first served system,” said Jonathan Sayno, Election Assistant II of the Iloilo City Comelec.
What if voters are still in line at 3 p.m.?
Sayno said the poll clerk will record the names of voters within a 30-meter radius from the polling precinct and assign them sequence numbers.
“Our official voting hours are from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. If there’s a long line of waiting voters around 2:45 p.m. and they haven’t voted yet, as long as they are within the 30-meter radius, the poll clerk will list them and allow them to vote,” Sayno told Panay News.
Voters will be called by name three times to enter the polling precinct. If a voter doesn’t respond, they won’t be permitted to vote later.
Those arriving after 3 p.m. who aren’t on the poll clerk’s list will be turned away.
If by 3 p.m. there are no more voters at a precinct, the electoral boards can declare voting closed and begin the manual vote count.
This is why Sayno urges voters not to wait until the last minute.
Voting Process
Upon reaching the polling location, like a school, voters should check their name and sequence number on the posted certificate voters list (PCVL) at the entrance of the classroom serving as the polling precinct.
They should then inform the poll clerk or an electoral board member of their details. The board chairman will verify this against the election certified voters list (ECVL).
The chairman will also check if the voter’s forefinger is marked with indelible ink.
“If there’s ink already, it’s presumed the person voted in another precinct, and they’ll be advised not to vote again,” Sayno stated.
If it’s clear the voter hasn’t voted yet, they will receive an official ballot, signed on the back by the chairman.
Two months prior, Comelec posted PCVLs in classrooms for voters to verify their details. However, many waited until election day.
Two Ballots for Barangay and SK Elections
For these synchronized elections, two ballot types are available: one for barangay voters and another for SK voters.
Youths aged 15-17 will receive one ballot for SK positions.
Those aged 18-30 will get two ballots since they can vote in both elections.
Voters 31 and older receive a single ballot for the barangay vote.
How Do Electoral Boards Categorize Voters?
The voter list has symbols indicating who can vote in which elections.
“Our list has an asterisk for those eligible for both elections. Those 31 and older don’t have this mark. And the 15-17 group is on a separate list, voting only for SK,” Sayno explained.
After receiving their ballots and secrecy folder, which includes a certified candidate list, voters can cast their votes. They should write their preferred candidates’ names in full, or use nicknames or surnames.
“It’s not an automated election where you shade a circle next to a candidate’s number. In manual elections, voters write down the candidate’s name,” Sayno said.
He also warned against noting candidate sequence numbers, as this invalidates the ballot.
One Ballot Per Voter Policy
Voters should avoid making extraneous marks on their ballots.
“We discourage any additional markings; they render the ballot invalid,” Sayno said.
If voters make mistakes, they can request a new ballot, but they’re allowed only one replacement.
Sayno emphasized the importance of coming prepared with a list of preferred candidates, especially since only 10 voters can be in the precinct at a time.
After voting, the ballot and folder are given to the chairman, who will then mark the voter’s forefinger with indelible ink. Those refusing this marking will have their ballots invalidated.
Voting Process for PWDs and Senior Citizens
Special lanes are set up for persons with disabilities (PWDs) and senior citizens. If they need assistance, they can bring someone related to them up to the fourth degree of consanguinity.
In areas where polling centers are located on higher floors, Comelec has processes in place to assist PWDs and seniors./PN
