Influx of voter applicants noted in Mandaue Comelec office

Voter applicants trooped to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) office in Mandaue City on Tuesday, September 7, 2021. CDN Digital photo | Mary Rose Sagarino

MANDAUE CITY, Cebu—A lot of voter applicants trooped to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) office in Mandaue City on Tuesday, September 7, 2021, or a day after registration resumed.

Comelec Mandaue was closed on August 1 when the city was placed under Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine. It was reopened on Monday, September 6.

READ: Voters registration suspended while Cebu is under MECQ

Lawyer Anna Fleur Gujilde, the city’s election officer, said that they are expecting an even bigger crowd as the city transitions to General Community Quarantine (GCQ) starting on Wednesday, Sept. 8. 

Gujilde said because of the month-long closure, they are anticipating more people to go to their office to register in the coming days.

The deadline for registration is on September 30.

The Comelec office in Mandaue City. CDN Digital photo | Mary Rose Sagarino

Gujilde said that they cannot hold an off-site registration as none of the city’s barangay recorded zero cases of COVID-19 in the last two weeks, which is the requirement for an off-site registration.

To cope with the influx of registrants, Gujilde said that starting this week, the city’s voters registration will be done until Saturday. The registration hours will also be extended starting Wednesday as the city shifts to GCQ. From the current 8 a.m to 5 p.m, the registration will last until 7 p.m.

To avoid crowding in the office, Gujilde is encouraging residents to set an appointment online.

Based on their June 30, 2021 data, Mandaue has 222,000 registered voters, which is just 3,000 short of the 225,000 registered voters in the last election.

On Thursday, September 9, Comelec will hold a special registration at the BJMP-Mandaue for Persons Deprived of Liberty.

/bmjo