Local Absentee Voting FAQs and Answers

Yes. You must be a registered voter. If your name is not found in the National List of Registered Voter (NLRV), your application to vote as Local Absentee Voter shall be denied.

No. You must apply for reactivation of your registration record first until October 31, 2015 before your local Election Officer prior to applying as a Local Absentee Voter.

YES. You can vote as a local absentee voter since you are a member of the Philippine National Police who, on the day of the Election will be temporarily assigned to the place (e.g Dagupan City) other than where you are registered as a voter (e.g Manila City.) provided your assignment there is for you to perform election duties. Other persons entitled to avail of the Local Absentee Voting Law also include (1) government officials, and employees, (2) members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines/Philippine National Police (PNP) and (3) members of the media.

YES. Members of the Media and media practitioners including their technical and support staff can apply to vote a Local Absentee Voters.

As a Local Absentee Voter, the positions you can vote for include the President, Vice-President, Senators and Party List Representatives.

All qualified applicants must file their applications (LAV form No. 1) not later than March 7, 2016. (extended until March 31, 2016 pursuant to Minute Resolution No. 16-0113)

YES. Failure to submit a sworn application shall be a ground for disapproval thereof.

You can get a copy of the Application Forms from your respective government agencies, or from the AFP, PNP, media entities and corporations to whom you belong. You can also download the said forms at COMELEC website at http:www.comelec.gov.ph.

For media voters, the application form must be accompanied by a certification accomplished by the head of media entity to whom the applicants belong attesting that they are bona fide members of the media and that they may not be able to vote due to the performance of their functions in covering and reporting on the conduct of elections. (LAV Form No. 1).

(1) If you are a Government official/employee, or a member of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, or a member of the Philippine National Police - file with your head of office/supervisor/commander/officer next-in-rank.

(2) If you are member of Media -

In the NCR - Office of the Regional Election Director (ORED)

In Highly Urbanized or independent cities outside NCR - Office of the City Election Officer (OCEO)

In areas not mentioned above - Office of the Provincial Election Supervisor (OPES)

Once approved, the List of Approved Applicants for Local Absentee Voting will be personally transmitted by CLAV members to the heads of offices/supervisors/commanders, CEO, PES or RED-NCR not later than April 21, 2016 and posted at the COMELEC website. Once your name is already on the list, then your application is approved.

The application to avail of local absentee voting shall be disapproved on the following grounds: a) the names of the applicants are not found in the NLRV; b) the application was filed out of time; c) the application is not under oath; d) the application is only a photocopy/facsimile copy or e) the Certification portion of the certified list is not duly accomplished.

If your application was disapproved due to items (c), (d) and (e) above-mentioned, your application form may be completed/complied with and submitted back to CLAV on or before April 15, 2016.

Local absentee voters shall vote in any day from April 27, 28 and 29, 2016 from 8:00 o'clock in the morning until 5:00 o'clock in the afternoon.

In case of voting of government officials and employees, members of the AFP and PNP, voting places shall be designated by the heads of offices/supervisors/commanders or offices next in rank. In the case of media voters, voting shall be at the COMELEC Office where they filed their applications to avail of the local absentee voting.

The heads of offices/supervisors/commanders concerned, under the direct supervision and presence of the Municipal/City/District EOs or their representatives, or in case of media voters. The CEOs/PES or RED-NCR or their representatives shall conduct the local absentee voting at the designated voting places.

The CLAV shall constitute as many Special Board of Election Inspectors (SBEIs) a may be necessary, to count the local absentee ballots. On the other hand, a Special Board of Canvassers (SBOC) for local absentee voting shall be constituted to canvass the election returns for local absentee voting.

After the local absentee voting period, the CLAV shall send notices to all Municipal/City/District EOs concerned as to who were the voters who actually voted under the system of local absentee voting with a directive to indicate in the list of voters the following annotation: "voted through local absentee voting" to prevent the deactivation of your registration records.

Failure to vote for two (2) successive elections is a cause of deactivation of registration records. Local Absentee Voting is considered as voting during a regular election for this purpose.

Yes. Your application, if granted, pertains only to the particular election for which your application is filed. You need to file separate application for every election.

NO. The provisions of the Local Absentee Voting Law apply only to government officials and employees, members of the AFP and PNP, and Media voters. It does not extend to their family members.

NO. All local absentee ballots received by the CLAV on/or before 7PM on May 9, 2016 are all considered for counting regardless of whether or not they will affect the outcome of the election.

For any concerns, you may send an Email to ecad@comelec.gov.ph. Or call the Committee on Local Absentee Voting at telephone numbers 02-527-29-86, 02-522-29-12, 02-536-04-19 and 02-528-42-60 and look for the following.