The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has extended the period of casting votes for the May 13, 2019 elections by an hour, making it end at 6 p.m. instead of the usual 5 p.m.
As reported by the PNA, the decision is contained in the 49-page Comelec Resolution No. 10460 or the General Instructions for the Electoral Boards issued on Dec. 6, 2018, regarding the process of voting, counting, and transmission of election results in the upcoming national and local elections.
“The casting of votes shall be from 6 o’clock in the morning up to 6 o’clock in the evening of Election Day,” the poll body said.
The resolution also noted that voters, who are within 30 meters from the polling place by 6 p.m. on election day, would still be allowed to cast their votes, provided that they are listed on the list prepared by a poll employee.
“The poll clerk shall promptly prepare a complete list in duplicate, containing the names of said voters, numbered consecutively. The voters so listed shall be called to vote by the poll clerk by announcing near the door of polling place, in a tone loud enough to be heard throughout the polling place, each name three times in the order in which they are listed,” it said.
“Any voter in the list who is not present or does not respond when called shall no longer be allowed to vote. The said list shall be attached to the Minutes,” it added.
According to Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez, the Commission decided to extend for another hour the casting of votes to accommodate voters.
“To accommodate voters. 1,000 maximum voters/one vote counting machine (VCM), so we’re anticipating that there might be some queuing,” he said in a text message.
Polling precincts, during the 2016 national elections, were open from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The Comelec has noted that more than 2.5 million Filipinos registered as new voters during the last registration period from July 2 to September 29.
Meanwhile, the projected number of overseas voters for the 2019 elections is 1.9 million.
