How to Check Your Voter Status for Philippine Elections

The Philippines’ poll body announced in early April that the Precinct Finder, Voter registration status verifier, Online voter’s certificate application, and Election results website are expected to be available online soon after it signed an agreement with the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) for the hosting of the four online services in relation to the May 2022 elections.

How to Check Your Voter Status for Philippine Elections

It is recommended for both new voters and previously registered voters to check their status to find out if they can still vote in the upcoming elections.

In previous elections, the COMELEC offered precinct/polling verification services to save voters some time and help them make sure if the trip is worth taking should they need to physically visit the office.

The Precinct Finder online service is offered when nearing an election to help voters validate their registration records to check if they are active voters who are eligible to vote in the upcoming national and local elections.

The Precinct Finder also verifies if the voter record also bears biometrics data, the precinct number, and the polling center. Both Philippines-based and overseas Filipinos can find their status on the Precinct Finder feature.

The COMELEC PRECINCT FINDER can be accessed at this site.

If you do not find your name on the Precinct Finder, the COMELEC directs voters in the Philippines to contact their municipal or city Election Officer through email, call, or office visit to get their voter registration record and for further validation. Overseas voters can contact the Office for Overseas Voting.

Philippine Voter Registration  

It is the process of filing an application to have a voter’s record at the Commission on Election in a specific date and designated places set by the Comelece.

Any Filipino citizen who is at least 18 years of age, a resident of the Philippines for at least one year, and in the place where they intend to vote for at least six months immediately preceding the election can file application for registration. There are two types of voter registration:

1. Computerized Voter’s List (CVL) electronic process
2. the Voters Registration Record (VRR) manual one

Qualifications for Registration

You may register in the country if you have complied with the following requirements:

1. One must be a citizen of the Republic of the Philippines.
2. You are a resident of the place where you intend to register for at least six months.
3. Individual must be at least 18 years of age on or before the election date
4. You have not been adjudged as mentally incapable by a court or by competent authority.

Individual must be adjudicated as free from committing any disloyalty liaising against the government, such as rebellion or sedition.

Registration Process

To become a Philippines registered voter, you must personally submit all the required documents. You must yield to your Election officer a fully accomplished Registration form (CEF-1A) which you can get either from the Office of Election Officer (OEO) or downloaded from the commission website.

1. Along with own form,  one must also present a photocopy of any valid ID which is inclusive of your photo, autograph and home address. None of the three qualifications must be deficient.
2. Wait until all your documents are verified by the assigned election officer. After all your documents are authenticated, you can proceed to the next step, which is the taking of your biometrics, which includes your signature, thumbmark and picture.
3. The last step is for you to get your acknowledgment receipt which you can present upon getting your Voter’s ID. Registration is open every Monday to Friday (including holidays) from 8am to 5pm. Take note that it may take up to 3 years before getting your Voter’s ID.

Overseas Filipinos

Overseas Absentee Voting Act R.A. 9189 states that all Filipino citizens abroad who are not disqualified by law and at least 18 years old by the time of elections will be entitled to vote. The eligible individuals are required to file their applications personally at the Philippine embassy or consulate nearest their region. They are also required to be holders of a valid Philippine passport with an accomplished overseas absentee voting (OAV) registration form from the commission on elections.

For seafarers a photocopy of their seaman’s book is required. Lastly if the individual availed the citizen retention and reacquisition act (R.A. 9225), they would need to submit their order of approval application for the said act.

Naturalized Citizens

Naturalized Filipino Citizens may vote during elections. However, there are several positions in the government that they cannot hold since they are not natural-born citizens.

FAQs

Conclusion

The Commission on elections has created an online plate form (COMELEC Precinct Finder) where individual can verify theirs voter registration status. Individual need to proceed to this site . Make sure to given them consent to proceed election status. For those who are in Philippines give mandatory information to system than they will redirected to election polling center and make sure your voting status Active or Not.