We’re ready for polls: Comelec

Cebu City Comelec Registrar Marchel Sarno yesterday said they are ready to conduct the Oct. 30 barangay election despite suggestions to postpone it.

Speaking during the 888 News Forum at Marco Polo Plaza, Sarno said that according to their schedule of activities, the campaign period will start on Oct. 21 and will end on Oct. 28.

He said the last day of the filing of the Statement of Contributions and Expenses (Soce) will be on Nov. 22, 2017.

“We have already prepared our timeline for Cebu City, presuming that the election will push through. Right now, our activity is more on printing the voters’ lists,” Sarno said.

Cebu Provincial Election Supervisor Lionel Marco Catillano said the deadline of the voter’s registration was last April 29. There will be clustering of precincts after that.

“Right now, the precincts increased because the more than 800 voters per clustered precinct during the May 2016 election was reduced to 400 voters per precinct only,” Castillano said. Castillano said there will also be additional Sanguniang Kabataan (SK) election voters.

There is a separate ballot for barangay officials and another for SK candidates. A voter aged 18 years old to 30 can vote twice, Castillano said.

People from 18 years old to 30 will have two ballots because they will vote for barangay officials and SK candidates but will place them in only one box.