Comelec logs 65,000 voters

More than 65,000 newly-registered voters have been processed by the Commission on Elections during the first week of regular voter registration from 12 to 17 December.

According to Comelec data released to the media on Wednesday, 46,109 new registrants for regular applications have been processed, including 35,011 individuals 18 to 30 years old and 11,098 people who are 31 years old and above.

Combining all registration processes for new voters, transferees, and reactivated voters, the poll body has managed to process 130,799 regular voter registration applications during its first week.

The poll body also managed to log 20,018 voter registration applications for Filipinos aged 15 to 17 for the Sangguniang Kabataan elections, 19,336 of which are new voters.

The figures, according to Comelec spokesperson John Rex Laudiangco, only refer to the registration being done in offices and satellite registration sites and do not include voter registrants through the Register Anywhere project.

Comelec reported 611 voter registration applications, including 359 new voters, on the first two days of the Register Anywhere project on 17 and 18 December.

Laudiangco said the low turnout in voter registration could be due to the preparations for the holidays but is urging the public to register early to avoid a surge of registrants next month.

"We are appealing for people to take notice and give some time to register and take advantage of this period where many of us are on vacation and going inside malls to shop and stroll, and some are intended to register as a voter," Laudiangco said.