The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) plans to begin the printing of ballots for the midterm elections in the second week of December, the last month of the year.
According to COMELEC Chairman George Garcia, this timeline aligns with the filing of Certificates of Candidacy (COC) by candidates.
Another reason cited was the absence of candidate substitution in the upcoming elections.
Garcia explained that candidates filing their COCs between October 1-8 this year may only be replaced if they die or are disqualified.
He added that the agency is committed to resolving all issues and cases to avoid any disruptions during the upcoming elections.
When asked about potential issues, Garcia mentioned that one example is the sudden declaration by the Supreme Court, issuing a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) that halts the printing of ballots to include the names of substitute or late-filing candidates.
The early filing of candidacy aims to prevent such issues and avoid delays in the voting process.
Garcia also shared some “unique” features of the ballots, which include “secret markings” and a “precinct-specific” design. This means ballots cannot be used in other precincts or by different vote-counting machines, minimizing the risk of fraud.