THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) has received a total of 82,682 voter applications for the May 2022 elections from all local governments in the entire Cebu from Oct. 11 to 30.
Based on the Comelec record, Cebu City had the highest number of applicants, reaching 17,335 in the two districts. Lapu-Lapu City came in second with 12,295 applicants, while Mandaue City had 5,807 applicants.
Other local government units under Cebu Province registered a total of 47,245 applicants.
Omar Sharif Mamalinta, an assistant in the Comelec’s Cebu City north district office, said the applications will be submitted for a hearing by the Election Registration Board (ERB) that is likely to happen this month.
“In most cases, the application for registration will be approved, unless there is a protest,” he said in a mix of Cebuano and English.
Currently, Cebu City has 740,711 registered voters—339,755 in the north district and 400,956 in the south district.
The Comelec central office already announced that there will be no more extension of the voter registration period, which ended Saturday, Oct. 30.
The poll body did not accommodate voter applicants from Oct. 1 to 8 as it concentrated on the filing of certificates of candidacy during that period.
Before the Comelec extended the voter registration, it had been firm on its decision not to extend the registration beyond Sept. 30; however, it changed its tune when senators deferred action on its proposed 2022 budget. As early as August, there had been a public clamor to extend the registration. (PAC / KAL)