Voter Registration is Until September 30 | FAQs + Application Procedures

The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) announced that Voter Registration 2019 starts this August 1, 2019. Here are some of the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) and application procedures.

Highlights of Voter Registration

• Will you be at least 15 years old by May 11, 2020? Then you should register to vote in the #BSKE2020.
• If your voter registration status is deactivated, DO NOT REGISTER AS A NEW VOTER. Instead, you may apply for REACTIVATION so you can once again exercise your right to vote.
• Did you transfer to a new residence? You may update your registration record to reflect this change. Just apply for Transfer of Registration Record. Don’t forget to bring a valid ID with proof of residence in your new address.
• Are you an overseas voter? If you will be in the Philippines and will vote here in the next Barangay and SK elections, you must be a voter of the locality where you intend to vote. Just apply for Transfer of Registration.
• If you were unmarried when you first registered and now intend for your record to reflect your married name, then you may apply for Change/Correction of Entry. Just bring your marriage certificate/court order as proof.
• Name misspelled? You may apply for Change/Correction of Entry. Just bring your birth certificate issued by the PSA.
• Are you a student and have no other valid IDs to present. School IDs or Library Cards will be honored as long as the ID is signed by the school authority, like the Principal or School Head.
• Any of these IDs may be presented: Employee ID, Postal ID, PWD ID, Student ID/Library Card, Senior Citizen ID, Driver’s License, NBI Clearance, Passport, UMID, IBP ID, PRC License, Certificate of Confirmation from NCIP.
• Any PWD or illiterate person or member of IPs/ICCs may be assisted in the preparation of their application form. A supplementary form may be accomplished if the voter wants to vote in an accessible polling place.
• Voter Registration 2019 will be from Mondays to Saturdays, including holidays, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM at the Office of the Election Officer starting August 1.

FAQs About Voter Registration

1. What is voter registration?

Registration refers to the act of accomplishing and filing of a sworn application by a qualified voter before the Election Officer of the city or municipality, where the applicant resides, and including the record in the book of voters upon approval by the Election Registration Board.

2. Why should I register myself as a voter?

If a person is not a registered voter, he cannot vote in an election. This means that you cannot participate in choosing who your next public officials will be. You also would not be able to run for public office if you are not a registered voter.

3. What are the requirements for registration?

The basic requirements for any Filipino citizen to register as a voter are simple: he must be at least 18 years old, and a resident of the Philippines for at least one year and of the city/municipality wherein he intends to vote for at least 6 months prior to an election. There are also certain disqualifications prescribed by law which you should not possess.

4. Where should I go to register?

By law, filing of applications for registration shall be conducted at the Office of the Election Officer (OEO), your local COMELEC office. That happens during regular office hours.

The COMELEC has allowed the setting up of at least one satellite registration center for every barangay. There are also satellite registration centers for Person with Disabilities (PWDs), Indigenous Cultural Communities (ICCs/IPs), Senior Citizens (SCs) and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), subject to certain conditions.

5. How often do I need to register?

Under the present system of continuing registration, a qualified person needs to register only once. This registration is permanent, unless declared otherwise by law. Registering more than once constitutes an election offense.

However, in cases when a voter transfers residence, he needs to apply for the transfer of his registration record.

There are also instances when a registration record may become deactivated due to some reasons stated by law, the most common of which is the failure to vote in two successive regular elections. When this happens, the concerned voter needs to apply for the reactivation of his registration record.

Read Also: Top 11 Frequently Asked Questions About Voter Registration

Voter Registration Procedures

Pursuant to Section 12 of Resolution No. 9853:

1. A qualified applicant need only to appear personally at the Office of the Election Officer (OEO), the local COMELEC office.
2. The applicant’s identity and residence will be verified. (Bring a valid ID with photograph and signature.)
3. The applicant’s status of registration will also be verified. This may be done using a computer application at the OEO.
4. After a successful verification of the applicant’s identity, he (or she) shall be given three (3) copies of the application forms to fill up. A blank Application Form is also available for download from this Website. This form may be downloaded and printed. It may be accomplished before proceeding to the OEO to save on time. However, it should only be signed and thumb-marked before the EO.
5. The applicant’s biometrics will then be digitally captured using the Voter Registration Machine (VRM) by an authorized VRM Operator.
6.  An Acknowledgment Receipt will be given to the applicant afterwards.

Read Also: Voter Registration Requirements + Disqualification to Register