Erasures allowed in BSKE ballots – Comelec
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) will allow erasures on the ballots to be used in the 2025 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) set for December 1. (Noy Morcoso/INQUIRER.net)
MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) will allow erasures on the ballots to be used in the 2025 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) set for December 1.
Comelec Chairman George Erwin Garcia announced this on Friday as he noted that the poll body will provide additional ballots in every precinct in the elections for barangay and SK officials.
“Wala po kaming magawa kasi nasa batas. Pwede erasure kasi kahit i-erase ng ating mga kababayan yung mismong boto, kapag inerase, ang tawag dun, desistance,” Garcia told reporters in an interview.
(We can’t do anything because it’s provided by the law. Erasure is allowed because even when the voters erase their votes, when it’s erased, it’s called desistance.)
READ: Comelec sets 2025 Barangay/SK elections for Dec. 1
Garcia explained that whatever the voter writes on their ballot will be called “intent” as they have the intention to vote for that particular candidate.
Garcia also said that the poll body will provide three extra ballots per polling precinct as provided by the law on the BSKE.
“Sa manual na eleksyon, nagkakaroon ng extra tigtatatlo bawat presinto sapagkat marami tayong mga kababayan na dahil sinusulat yung mga pangalan ng mga iboboto, minsan nagkakamali, nagkakaproblema,” Garcia noted.
(In the manual elections, we will have an extra three ballots in every precinct because many voters can have erasures from writing the name of the candidates they will vote for.)
READ: BSKE will be manual; Filipinos want to write down their votes, Garcia
Further, Garcia shared that as the poll body began its preparations for the BSKE set on December 1, it will implement fully manual elections.
“Wag po iexpect ng mga kababayan natin na ganun kabilis ang resulta kasi binibilang isa isa yan ng mga guro ang mga balota kaya minsan inaabot ng madaling-araw bago matapos,” Garcia said.
(Don’t expect immediate turnout of results because the teachers will manually count them, that’s why it can last up to the early morning of the next day.)
