SK voters to fill up 2 ballots

CEBU, Philippines — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) reminded voters aged 18 to 30 to accomplish two separate ballots on Election Day.

During a mock poll participated in by around a hundred voters in Manila this week, Comelec observed that there is still confusion on which ballots to be used.

Cebu Provincial Election Officer Atty. Ferdinand Gujilde explained that the ballot for SK has a red font while the ballot for the barangay polls has a black font.

Meanwhile, voters aged 15 to 17 years will only have to accomplish the ballot intended for the SK polls.

Both official ballots will be dropped in the same ballot box. Each polling place will have only one ballot box. It will be the duty of the Electoral Boards (EB) to segregate the mixed ballots.

To address the issue on confusion, Gujilde said that Comelec will train the Election Officers (EO) of the 53 cities and towns through a simulation scheduled on May 1.

This activity aims to orient those who will facilitate the elections on how to go about the election process.

The trained EOs will train the teachers who will serve as EBs. The series of training for the EBs is scheduled on May 3 to 11.

In Cebu, there is no scheduled mock elections like the one held in the National Capital Region (NCR).

Gujilde said that it is considerable for the EBs to make procedural lapses so long as it does not change the results of the elections.

He explained that each EB has a space for "error and discretion" and does not have to follow the "rules to the letter."

For instance, EBs may exercise an initiative to put up signages which can guide voters on the steps for the electoral process.

He said that even if EBs were not specifically ordered to do so by Comelec, they may perform such act.

"There is a leeway. You cannot box the Electoral Board," he said. (FREEMAN)