EARLY VOTING FOR ABSENTEE VOTERS

They can cast their ballots on any day from April 29 to May 1 from 6 a.m. until 5 p.m. but only for senatorial and party-list candidates

Government employees and members of the media who will be on duty during the May 13 elections will be able to cast their votes ahead of time.

Promulgated last Nov. 8, Commission on Elections (Comelec) Resolution 10443 provides the rules and regulations on local absentee voting in connection with the midterm polls.

Local absentee voting refers to a system of voting wherein government officials and employees, including members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP), as well as members of the media (media practitioners including their technical and support staff ), who are duly registered voters, are allowed to vote for national positions.

These positions include candidates for president, vice president, senators and party-list representatives.

The system allows them to vote in places where they are not registered voters, but where they are temporarily assigned to perform election duties on election day, or, in the case of media voters, they will not be able to vote due to the performance of their functions in covering and reporting on the polls.

Section 4 of the resolution states that local absentee voters shall vote on any day from April 29 to May 1 from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m.

For government officials and employees and members of the AFP and PNP, the heads of office or commanders shall designate, not later than April 9, the place of voting.

A copy of the written notice issued by the election officer who will supervise the conduct of the voting will be furnished to the committee on local ab- sentee voting (CLAV).

For media voters, voting will be at the Comelec office where they filed their applications to avail themselves of the local absentee voting under the supervision of the city election officer, provincial election supervisor or regional election director, as the case may be.

In an interview last Friday, March 15, Acting Cebu Provincial Elections Supervisor Jerome Brillantes said the local absentee voting serves as an opportunity for government employees, uniformed personnel and members of the media to exercise their right to suffrage.

“It’s for those government employees and members of the media who are assigned to places where they are not registered and it is impossible for them to cast their votes,” he said.

At present, the CLAV is still consolidating its applicants. It has until April 12 to verify eligible applicants and prepare the list of qualified local absentee voters.

Qualified local absentee voters, though, may only vote for the positions of senators and party-list representative.