Local absentee voting registration accepted until March 7

(PNA photo by Liza T. Agoot)

BAGUIO CITY — The Commission on Elections (Comelec)-Baguio is urging eligible individuals to avail themselves of the local absentee voting (LAV) option.

Comelec-Baguio Election Officer John Paul Martin said LAV is a privilege for police officers, soldiers, teachers, other government employees, and members of the media who cannot vote on May 12.

Those who want to avail themselves of LAV may apply either at the Comelec central office in Manila or local Comelec offices until March 7.

LAV is allowed for national positions only. The voting period will be on April 28 to 30 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

“This is an initiative of the Comelec to allow them to participate in the election even if they have an election duty to render and they cannot cast their votes at their respective precincts,” he said.

He cited as an example a police officer who resides in Abra but will be assigned to Mindanao for election duty.

“The policeman can still vote through the LAV and exercise his right to vote,” Martin said.

LAV participation is not just exercising the constitutional right but will keep the voter’s record active, he added.

The ballots will be sealed and forwarded to the LAV division for the feeding of the ballots to the automatic counting machine.

“It will be a separate canvassing and separate voting process because they have a different ballot from the regular voters,” Martin said.