MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) will move forward with the pilot testing of early voting for vulnerable sectors in the upcoming 2023 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE), regardless of the status of the proposed Early Voting Bill.
According to Comelec spokesman John Rex Laudiangco, the decision to proceed with the pilot testing was made to provide added comfort and convenience for senior citizens, pregnant women, persons with disabilities and other vulnerable sector members.
While the still-pending Early Voting Bill is primarily aimed at allowing voting days before the actual election date, Comelec is taking proactive steps to accommodate these sectors.
“This serves as a contingency measure to still afford said vulnerable sectors the added comfort and convenience in voting in case the said bill is not yet passed in time for the Oct. 30, 2023 BSKE,” Laudiangco said.
He added that the decision to proceed with the pilot testing came after the Early Voting Bill received approval in the House of Representatives, passing its third and final reading with 259 votes.