EDITORIAL - Why not special precincts for seniors?

Since the subject of privileges for senior citizens is in the news, and the fact that the next election is just a short two years away, now might be as good a time as any to bring the matter of seniors and elections together for some discussion.

In this city, and in many other places in the country as well, senior citizens are given financial aid. To be sure, there is a humanitarian reason for the assistance. But there also is a political one. As aid can be given, it can also be withdrawn. To keep the aid coming, seniors need to make the givers happy.

Those who have ever voted in an election must have noticed that many seniors are transported to their polling places. This could be another form of assistance -- making it easy and convenient for seniors to vote. But this "herding" can also allow closer monitoring of how the seniors vote.

But this is not about what benefits politicians may derive from the benefits they provide seniors. This is about making voting easier for everyone, seniors or otherwise. When a group of seniors vote, they are made to vote first, ahead of those who have been in line.

There is nothing wrong with giving priority to seniors -- unless they come by the barangay. When that happens, a non-senior voter who had been in line at 7 a.m. will likely get to vote by 2 p.m. if his progress on the line keeps getting interrupted by bus after bus of seniors being inserted and prioritized.

There is an easy way out of this problem, of course, if anybody is willing to listen, most particularly the Comelec. And our humble proposal is for the Comelec to designate special precincts (as many as practical) for the exclusive use of seniors at every polling place.

This makes it easier for the politicians to monitor their seniors, and easier for the seniors as the special precincts may be equipped with certain comforts specifically designed for their needs. And it will help speed up the voting for the non-seniors.

This proposal can be worked out, considering that the next election is still about two years away. It is hoped that the Comelec gives it some reasonable consideration. It can go a long way into making the act of voting less stressful.