COMELEC sets early voter's registration for 2013 polls

MANILA CITY, METRO MANILA — Starting May 3, new and eligible voters for the upcoming 2013 elections can start filing their applications, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said.

“We are urging all eligible first-time voters who will turn at least 18 years old on May 2013 to file their voter's registration this early.  Let us avoid last-minute registrations so we can take part in electing our nation's leaders,” said Comelec spokesman James Jimenez.

Deadline of registration is October 31, 2012 but the Comelec is encouraging early registration so it can prepare better for the conduct of automated polls with the use of special ballots, such as those used in the May 2010 national elections, he added.

Aside from first-time voters, persons who want to transfer registration records to a new residence; change, update or correct entries such as those for newly-wed women who changed surnames; and voters whose records were deactivated for failure to vote in the past two elections can also file their applications within the registration period.

All voter applications must be personally filed at the office of the election officer in the municipal or city office where the applicant resides and wishes to vote.

Voters no longer need to bring photographs because his or her biometrics records composed of a digital photograph, fingerprints, and signature will be entered in data capturing machines during the filing of registration.

The biometrics registration is important to purge the voter's list of duplicate registration records and to update records of voters who were unable to enroll their biometrics information with Comelec, according to Resolution No. 9149 promulgated on February 22.

Applications will be received from Monday to Saturday, inclusive of holidays during regular office hours from 8am to 5pm.  There will be no registration on December 22 to January 2 for the Christmas break.

Schedules for satellite registration in highly-populated areas will be announced after coordination with Comelec municipal and town offices.

Applicants must bring any valid school or government ID to register. Community tax certificates (Cedula) and certifications from the barangay will not be honored as valid identification documents.

For inquiries, contact the Comelec education and information department at (02) 525-9294. - By: Anna Valmero

Voter Registration and Validation to Start on May 3, 2011 instead of April 1

RESOLUTION NO. 9168

 IN THE MATTER OF THE RESETTING OF THE RESUMPTION OF THE SYSTEM OF CONTINUING REGISTRATION OF VOTERS IN THE NON-ARMM AREAS, FROM APRIL 1, 2011 TO MAY 3, 2011.

Promulgation: 22 March 2011

---

WHEREAS, Resolution No. 9149, promulgated on February 22, 2011 entitled “Rules and Regulations For the Resumption of the System of Continuing Registration and Validation of Registration Records in the Non-ARMM Areas”, provides that the system of continuing of registration of voters for non-ARMM areas shall resume on April 1, 2011 and end on October 31, 2012;

WHEREAS, in order to expedite the distribution to the field offices of application forms to be used in connection with the resumption of the system of continuing registration of voters, the Commission promulgated on March 02, 2011, Minute Resolution No. 11-0268, delegating to the Regional Election Directors of the non-ARMM areas the authority to procure said application forms for use in their respective area of jurisdiction;

WHEREAS, to afford the Regional Election Directors with sufficient time to procure the application forms, and deliver the same to the offices of their respective Provincial Election Supervisors, there is a need to reset the commencement of the system of continuing the registration of voters in the non-ARMM areas;

NOW, THEREFORE, by virtue of the powers vested in it by the Constitution, Omnibus Election Code, Republic Act No. 8189 and other election laws, the Commission RESOLVED, as it hereby RESOLVES, to reset the resumption of the system of continuing registration of voters in the non-ARMM areas from April 1, 2011 to May 3, 2011.

Let the Education and Information Department cause the widest dissemination of this Resolution, and its publication in two (2) newspapers of general circulation of the Philippines.

SO ORDERED.

(Sgd.) SIXTO S. BRILLANTES, JR. Chairman
(Sgd.) RENE V. SARMIENTO Commissioner	(Sgd.) LUCENITO N. TAGLE Commissioner
(Sgd.) ARMANDO C. VELASCO Commissioner	(Sgd.) ELIAS R. YUSOPH  Commissioner

VOTER REGISTRATION in the ARMM for the August 8 ARMM Elections - Part 3

SEC. 10. Procedure for filing of application for transfer of registration records from another city and municipality to and within the ARMM. - a) Any registered voter who has transferred residence to another city/ municipality in the ARMM, at least six (6) months before the August 8, 2011 ARMM Elections, may apply for transfer of his registration records by personally appearing before the EO of his new residence.

The EO shall verify from the NLRV if the applicant’s name is included in said list. If the applicant’s name is not included in the NLRV, the EO shall verify if the applicant’s name is included in NLDV.

a)  If applicant’s name is included in the National List of Registered Voters or in the National List of Deactivated Voters -

The EO shall give the applicant three (3) copies of the prescribed application form hereto attached as Annex “D” (CEF-1B- Application for Transfer/Application for Transfer with Reactivation). The applicant shall thereafter accomplish said application form separately in three (3) copies subject to Section 7 hereof.

It is important that the EO shall check the box corresponding to the appropriate type of application. In the assignment of precinct number and Application Form Number, the EO shall follow the procedure provided in Section 7 (c) hereof.

Using the VRS, the VRM Operator shall:

1.   Select File -> Registration

2.   Type the Application Number and press Enter button

3.   Select Transfer from other city/municipality from the drop down menu

4.   Encode demographics information and capture the biometrics data of the applicant

5.   Save the record

Attached are the screen shots of the procedure for transfer from other city/municipality hereto designated as Annex “E”.

He shall then affix his initial below the space provided for the EO’s signatures in Part 2 of the application form.

The application for transfer of registration records to another city/municipality shall be subject to the requirements of notice and hearing and action of the ERB.

Once the application is approved, a Notice of Approval shall be sent to the EO of origin by registered mail. Only a Notice of Approval, duly signed by the EO as Chairman of the ERB, reflecting the name, birth date, place of birth, current address, old precinct assignment/barangay/city of the applicant-transferee shall be sent, without need of the copy of the approved application for transfer.

Upon receipt of the said Notice, the EO of origin shall:

(1) delete the name of the voter from the list of voters;

(2) remove the voter’s registration record (VRR) from the corresponding precinct book of voters; and

(3) send the said VRR to the EO of the applicant’s new residence.

The actions taken by the EO of origin shall not require an ERB approval.

b.  If applicant’s name is not included in the NLRV or in the NLDV

The EO shall first require the applicant to show proof of his registration. In this aspect, showing of a Comelec ID or a Certification from the EO of former place of registration will suffice as evidence of previous registration. Upon such showing of proof, the EO shall issue an application for transfer. A facsimile/photocopy of the proof shall be attached to the application.

In the absence of proof that the applicant is a registered voter, the EO shall advise the applicant to file an application for registration. The EO shall thereafter issue the prescribed application form (CEF-1A – Application for Registration) to the applicant, who shall accomplish said form in accordance with Section 7 hereof.  In addition, the EO shall issue to the applicant a Certification (sample form attached as Annex “F”) stating that the applicant intended to apply for transfer but he was instead advised to apply for original registration, for want of proof that he is a registered voter of another city/municipality.

The EO and VRM Operator shall then perform the procedures stated in Section 7, Paragraphs (i) and (j) hereof.

SEC. 11. Procedure for filing of application for transfer of registration records within the same city and municipality due to change of address. – Any registered voter who has changed his address in the same city/municipality may apply for transfer of his/her registration record to the precinct book of voters of his new precinct by accomplishing CEF-1B (Application for Transfer).

The EO shall verify in his local database the record of the applicant, using the VRS program.  The EO shall use the old application form number of the applicant and direct the applicant to the VRM Operator.

a) If the record has complete biometrics, i.e. it has photograph, fingerprints and signature, using the VRS, the VRM operator shall:

1.   Select File -> Other Application -> List of Records

2.   Type the last name, or first name and/or maternal name in the space provided and then click SEARCH button

3.   Right-click the record of the applicant in the list and select TRANSFER from the list of application type

4.   Edit the address and precinct number

5.   Save the record

Attached are the screen shots of the procedure for transfer within the same city/municipality (without biometrics capture) hereto designated as Annex “G”.

After the ERB approval, the place of residence and precinct number of the applicant’s records shall be changed to his current address and precinct assignment.

b) If the record has incomplete biometrics, i.e. any of the biometrics is not present, using the VRS, the VRM operator shall:

1.   Select File -> Others-> List of Records

2.   Type the last name, or first name and/or maternal name in the space provided and click SEARCH button

3.   Right-click in the record of the applicant and select TRANSFER WITH BIOMETRICS CAPTURE from the list of application type

4.   Edit the address and precinct number

5.   Capture the biometric information of the applicant

6.   Save the record

Attached are the screen shots of the procedure for transfer within the same city/municipality with biometrics capture hereto designated as Annex “H”.

After the ERB approval, the place of residence and precinct number of the applicant’s records shall be changed to his current address and precinct assignment and his biometrics will be included in his record. 

MORE >>

Qualifications of a Voter

As the deadline for the registration of voters, on October 31, 2009, draws near, it behooves us to revisit the provisions regarding the qualifications necessary in order to be duly registered as a voter.