Comelec deactivates 300K overseas absentee voters

MANILA, Philippines — For failing to vote in the 2016 and 2019 national and local elections, more than 300,000 overseas absentee voters have been deactivated by the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

The Comelec’s Office for Overseas Voting director Elaiza David said 313,101 registered overseas voters had been deactivated as of Nov. 8.

Under the Overseas Voting Act of 2013, one’s failure to vote in two consecutive national elections will result in his or her deactivation of the right to vote.

The poll body urged Filipinos who were deactivated to register anew.

It announced that the overseas voter registration for the May 2022 polls will start on Dec. 16 and will run until Sept. 30, 2021.