Philippine Election: Guide to Voting in 2022 Amid Covid

In about a couple of months and four weeks, on May 9, 2022, more than 65 million Filipinos will have the opportunity to determine the destiny of decided candidates running for national and municipal offices as well as the presidential race and the future of the country.

Registered voters for the 2022 National Elections

There are 65,745,529 Filipinos registered to vote for the 2022 Presidential Elections, according to the official tally of the Philippine Commission on Elections or COMELEC. According to them, these numbers mean an additional 3, 901, 758 registered voters for the 2019 midterm polls, and an additional 21, 195, 681 registered voters for the 2016 presidential election.

Based on the statistics, this year, 52% of the just concluded voter registration are between the ages of 31 and 59, while 33% of those registered are between the ages of 19 and 30 years old. On the other hand, around 9.1 million people, or 14 percent of the overall electorate, are over the age of 60.

As reported in the COMELEC's record of registered voters this year, CALABARZON or the provinces of Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon had the most significant number of registered voters in this year's elections, with more than 9 million registered voters. On the heels of that, Metro Manila had 7,322,361 votes, followed closely by Central Luzon's 7,289,791 voters.

Along with this, around 1.8 million abroad voters from Asia and the Pacific, Africa, the Middle East, Europe, as well as North and Latin America, have been registered by the Philippine government polling organization.

What to observe during Philippines Election Day

The Philippines is still threading the period of a global pandemic, although the numbers of COVID 19 positive cases can be significantly seen reduced compared to the first month of this year. Due to this, a lot of things and routines were changed in order to ensure the health and safety of every one.

Consequently, new voting rules have also been altered because of the coronavirus disease that has caused the COVID-19 pandemic and has resulted in certain adjustments in the election-related regulations and procedures.

Physical distancing and other safety protocols will be observed

In comparison to past polls in the country, this year's polling body was required to develop somewhat voting policies changes and consider the health and safety of voters, the Electoral Board, poll members, and the persons within and around the vicinities of polling stations.

The National Polls Day health and safety precautions, which will be held between the hours of 6 am and 7 pm on the date of May 9, are necessary to avoid the spread of COVID-19. Different precautionary measures are in place to ensure the safety of workers, including temperature monitoring, physical distance, face masks, and periodic cleaning of hands and frequently-touched surfaces.

When it comes to the 2022 National and Local Elections, the procedure will be to be followed by the voters according to COMELEC:

When it comes to the 2022 National and Local Elections, the procedure will be to be followed by the voters according to COMELEC:

Step 1. Temperature check prior to entry to the voting center of local elections.

In order to cast a ballot, voters must first have their temperature taken and checked.

Step 2. Proceed to Voters’ Assistance Desk to know precinct, queue number, and room.

Voters will next go to the Voters' Assistance Desk or VAD to get their precinct and sequence numbers, as well as their allocated room or cluster precinct.

Step 3. Proceed to the assigned room and present yourself to the Electoral Board.

Electors may now travel to their designated rooms and present their names, precincts, and sequence numbers to the Electoral Board after completing the second phase.

Step 4. Get ballot, ballot secrecy folder and marking pen, and fill out a ballot.

Afterwards, voters will get their ballots along with a ballot secrecy folder and a ballot marking pen.

Step 5. Accomplish ballot by fully shading ovals for candidates. Do not over-vote.

After acquiring the abovementioned things, voters may move to the voting area where they can fill out the ballot by completely darkening the oval appearing before the name of the candidate they desire to vote for. Make sure to keep the ballot clean in order to avoid being rejected by the machine.

Step 6. Insert ballot into Vote Counting Machine (VCM).

Once the ballot has been completed, voters will be instructed to enter the ballot into the Vote Counting Machine for processing (VCM).

Step 7. Check the voter receipt and drop it in the receptacle.

Voters may verify their voter's receipts and then deposit them in the container provided.

Step 8. Have right forefinger nail stained with indelible ink.

Last but not least, the voters' right forefinger nails will be permanently marked with ink.

Other important reminders during the Presidential elections

Another piece of advice from the election commission was to be mindful not to over-voting during the polling process. When you vote for more than the allowed number of candidates would render the voter's choice of all other candidates ineligible for the election.

Some more reminders that was established from the past elections, which may still be used this year despite the pandemic's effects, include:

• Use only the official ballot marking provided by the Board of Election Inspectors throughout the voting process.

• The ballots should not be folded, crumpled, or torn.

• Avoid photographing ballots that have already been filled out or those that have been completed.

• It is a violation of the law to save or photograph a voter's confirmation receipt.

There will be 37,141 polling locations around the nation, according to the Electoral Commission or COMELEC. It has also set up 412,876 precincts for voting, but some of them have been grouped, resulting in a total of 106,174 precincts.

Guide on Overseas Voting

According to Comelec Minute Resolution No. 21-1431, registered overseas voters have four alternatives for casting their ballots in the next elections: The specific modes for 2022 NLE are:

Postal Mode of Voting- Automated election system mode of counting

An automated election system (AES) will count the ballots that are sent in by the voters. The ballots will be fed into VCMs by Comelec-designated personnel.

Postal Mode of Voting- Manual mode of counting

Voting will take place through the mail, and votes will be counted manually at the polling places. Officials nominated by the Comelec will hand count the ballots.

Personal Mode of Voting- AES mode of counting

Voters will cast their votes in person, using the AES method of counting, at their polling places. The ballots will subsequently be fed into VCMs by Comelec-designated personnel.

Personal Mode of Voting- Manual mode of counting

Votes will be counted manually, with voters going to their polling places and completing the voting process themselves. Manual counting of votes will be carried out by Comelec-designated personnel.

Also read: Voter Registration Amid Covid

This coming election, it’s important to be informed and aware of the protocols to keep a healthy and safe National and Local Elections 2022. Keep safe!