NATION

Comelec starts ballot printing for special poll, plebiscite

Jeffrey G. Damicog · Oct 12, 2026, 7:57 AM

NATIONAL Printing Office personnel calibrate printing machines as the Commission on Elections prepares to begin printing ballots this week for the special congressional election in Batanes and the plebiscite on Naga City’s conversion into a highly urbanized city. — daily tribune images

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) will begin printing ballots this week for the special congressional election in Batanes and the plebiscite on Naga City’s conversion into a highly urbanized city (HUC).

The poll body said its Ballot Production Committee and the National Printing Office will start printing the ballots on Wednesday, 14 October.

Naga City has fewer than 150,000 registered voters, while Batanes has nearly 15,000, according to the Comelec.

The Naga plebiscite is scheduled for 21 November to determine whether voters will ratify the city’s conversion into an HUC.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. issued Proclamation No. 1267 on 26 May, declaring Naga City a highly urbanized city after it met the requirements under Republic Act No. 7160, or the Local Government Code of 1991.

Under the law, the conversion will take effect only after ratification by qualified voters in a plebiscite.

Meanwhile, the special election in Batanes will be held on 1 November to fill the province’s vacant congressional seat following the death of Rep. Ciriaco Gato Jr. on 21 September.