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| April 16, 2007 |
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| Voters Told to Protect Ballots,
Follow Comelec Instructions |
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The Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco is reminding overseas absentee voters to strictly follow voting instructions to ensure that their ballots would be protected, and their votes counted.
The Consulate issued the reminder to address voters’ questions and concerns on what to do with the packets they received from the Commission on Elections (Comelec) containing, among others, the ballot they will fill out with their choice candidates.
“Since we are voting by mail for the first time in a Philippine election, we have to be sure that the instructions are clearly followed so that your ballots are not rendered invalid or questionable,” Consul General Maria Rowena Mendoza Sanchez said.
As early as March 15, 2007, the Comelec had started mailing out packets to registered overseas absentee voters in countries where postal voting has been allowed. Aside from the ballot, the packet contains the following: 1) list of senatorial candidates; 2) list of party-list candidates; 3) two envelopes (“inner” and “outer”); 4) an adhesive paper seal; and 5) voting instructions.
The instructions requite the voter to perform the following: |
- Fill out the ballot;
- Affix thumbprint on the ballot coupon;
- Tear off the ballot coupon;
- Fold the ballot and insert it in the inner envelope;
- Seal the inner envelope;
- Place the ballot coupon and the inner envelope inside the outer envelope;
- Seal the outer envelope with the paper seal provided;
- Mail the envelope to the consulate or embassy where you are registered as a voter.
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The Consulate added that the voter has the option to mail the envelope, for which purpose he/she will have to pay for the postage; or personally deliver it to the embassy of consulate, whichever is more convenient.
Registered seafarers, meanwhile, have the option to cast their ballots personally in any post.
In all cases, however, all envelopes or ballots must be received by the Consulate not later than May 13, 2007, for the ballot to be valid and included in the counting.
Under Comelec regulations, the counting must begin right after the polling precincts in the Philippines at 3 p.m. of May 14 (12 midnight of May 13, Pacific Standard Time).
“These instructions are pretty straightforward and simple. However, we are making ourselves available to answer questions in case certain things have to be clarified,” Consul General Sanchez said. |
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