Comelec targets 3M new voters for 2028 polls

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is targeting three million additional registered voters during a nine-month registration campaign beginning November 10, bringing the country’s potential voting population to approximately 74 million ahead of the May 2028 national and local elections.

Comelec Chairperson George Erwin Garcia said the nationwide registration drive will run until July 30, 2027, giving eligible Filipinos sufficient time to register, transfer their records, or reactivate deactivated registrations.

The country currently has around 71 million registered voters, Garcia said in an interview at the poll body’s main office in Intramuros, Manila.

He explained that the earlier registration deadline, originally scheduled for September 30, 2027, was moved to July 30 to give the commission enough time to verify the voter registration status of individuals filing certificates of candidacy.

The shortened timeline will also allow Comelec to undertake a comprehensive cleansing of the voters’ list to detect and eliminate duplicate registrations.

Garcia said all applications must first undergo approval by Election Registration Boards before being processed through the Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS), which cross-checks fingerprints and signatures against existing records.

The commission aims to complete the verification and cleansing process before the end of 2027.

Garcia also reminded applicants to bring valid government-issued identification, warning that barangay certificates and community tax certificates, or cedulas, will no longer be accepted as proof of identity.

The registration drive will accommodate first-time voters, transfers of registration records, reactivation of deactivated registrations and corrections or changes in personal information.

Applications will be accepted through local election offices and designated satellite and mall registration centers, including the Register Anywhere Program.

The Comelec chief urged prospective voters not to wait until the deadline, emphasizing the importance of registering early to avoid congestion and ensure their eligibility for the 2028 elections.