Polling precincts open as voting in 2019 midterm elections kicks off
MANILA, Philippines — Polling centers all over the country are now open for more than 61 million voters as the country’s midterm elections—seen to bolster President Rodrigo Duterte’s grip on power— begin.
Polling precincts officially opened at 6 a.m. Monday. Voting hours will be until 6 p.m. on the same day.
“We expect that 99.97% of the places nationwide will be able to open on time,” Commission on Elections spokesperson James Jimenez said in a briefing few minutes the polls opened.
Over 18,000 seats, ranging from local councils to the Senate, are at stake in Monday’s election.
Up for grabs are 12 Senate seats, 245 seats for the House of Representatives, 81 each for governors and vice governors, 780 provincial board members, 145 each for city mayors and vice mayors, 1489 each for municipal mayors and vice mayors, 1,628 for city councilors and 11,916 for municipal councilors.
Monday’s polls will also see the pilot-testing of the Voter Registration Verification System, which is expected to add five minutes per person in the voting process.
The poll body expects the voter turnout to be around 75 to 78%.
Comelec said there were 32 reported cases of vote buying and 174 arrests made by the Philippine National Police as of 3 a.m.
“It means that vote buying remains a political staple and mukhang kabado sila na hindi nila maapektuhan yun resulta in any ther way except to 'doctor' essentially the voters,” Jimenez said.
- Latest
- Trending
