May 2025 elections: 18,320 seats at stake in crucial midterm polls

College students practice voting using sample ballots provided by the Comelec during the voter education campaign in Cebu City. ​

CEBU CITY, Philippines —It is the responsibility of every voter to decide who will hold public office—a vital duty as Filipinos prepare for the May 2025 midterm elections, where 18,320 elective positions, from senators to barangay councilors, are being contested.

According to the Commission on Elections (Comelec), millions of Filipinos are expected to flock to polling centers on Monday, May 12, to elect 12 senators, 63 party-list representatives, 254 district lawmakers, and over 18,000 local government officials. These include governors, mayors, vice mayors, provincial board members, city and municipal councilors, and barangay leaders.

READ:  Comelec: Voters can undervote for May 12 polls

The election body estimates that 69.6 million registered voters, including 1.2 million overseas Filipinos, are eligible to cast their ballots in what is considered one of the most consequential electoral events before the 2028 presidential race.

With thousands of positions on the line, the Comelec reminded voters that undervoting, choosing fewer candidates than allowed, is permitted and will not invalidate the ballot.

This clarification was issued following the spread of a false social media post claiming that blank spaces on the ballot may be filled in by alleged “dirty tricks groups” after submission.

“FAKE NEWS ang social media post na kumakalat ukol sa babala laban sa pag-iiwan ng blangko o pag-undervote sa balota,” Comelec said.

“Voters should not be afraid. They are the ones who feed their ballots into the Automated Counting Machines (ACMs),” it added.

READ: Vote-buying: Poll bets ‘buying’ voters for P50 to P10,000 each

Meanwhile, overvoting, selecting more candidates than allowed for a specific position, will result in the nullification of votes for that particular section.

To guide voters:

• Senator: Vote for up to 12
• Party-list: Vote for 1
• Congressman, Mayor, Vice Mayor, Governor, Vice Governor: vote for 1 each
• Councilors: The number of votes depends on the available slots in the locality

Voters may review their selections via the ballot image on the ACM screen and the Voter-Verified Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) before finalizing their submission.

READ: LIST: Cebu City candidates for PH Elections 2025

Comelec reiterated that the voting and counting process is secure and transparent, with safeguards in place to prevent tampering or fraud.

“The ‘dirty tricks group’ has no opportunity to change your votes because the ballot is read and recorded instantly by the machine,” the poll body emphasized.

Moreover, Comelec warned that those responsible for spreading false or misleading information about the elections may be held criminally liable under Section 261 of the Omnibus Election Code, which penalizes election offenses with imprisonment and disqualification from public office. /clorenciana