Comelec anticipates 80% voter turnout in May

AN 80% nationwide voter turnout is expected in the May 2022 national and local polls, an official said on Wednesday as the poll body held mock elections in several sites across the country.

“We would not know where the bottlenecks (of the election) are if we do not conduct a dry run…But we do not expect things to be perfect,” Commission on Elections (Comelec) Spokesperson James B. Jimenez said in a mix of Filipino and English. 

Next year’s election would be the first nationwide since the start of the pandemic in March 2020. A plebiscite was held in Palawan in March this year, which served as a testing ground for new voting procedures that includes health and safety protocols.

The mock elections were conducted in 34 precincts, including six polling stations in the capital region Metro Manila.

Voter participants were given 30-inch-long test ballots with a list of famous stars as fictitious candidates. Vote-counting machines were also tested through actual feeding of ballots. 

The National Citizen’s Movement for Free Elections (NAMFREL), which has filed an application for accreditation as Comelec citizens’ arm for next year, said the poll body was transparent in the simulated activity. 

In a statement, NAMFREL said the mock elections went generally smooth and peaceful. 

The group’s observers noted problems in the usage of the vote-counting machines in some areas, inconsistent observance of disinfection measures, and some voters’ failure to properly observe minimum health protocols.

NAMFREL said it will submit a comprehensive report to the Comelec on its observations and recommendations. — Jaspearl Emerald G. Tan