• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
As the Commission on Elections prepares for the 2026 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) on November 2, Negros Occidental is expected to remain one of the country’s vote-rich provinces, according to Comelec regional director Lionel Marco Castillano.
Negros Occidental currently ranks sixth among the nation’s vote-rich provinces, excluding the National Capital Region, with Cavite at the top of the list.
Comelec records showed that Negros Occidental has 2,009,564 registered voters, including Bacolod City.
The Negros Island Region (NIR) recorded a total of 241,422 registrants for the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) during the entire registration period that ran from October 20, 2025 to May 18, 2026.
Negros Occidental accounted for the biggest share with 164,375 registrants, while Negros Oriental recorded 72,081, and Siquijor registered 4,966 voters.
The Comelec-NIR is now in the process of preparing the official voters’ database and precinct clustering following the close of voter registration for the 2026 BSKE.
Castillano said the Election Registration Board hearings will begin on June 1 to deliberate on voter registration applications and any opposition filed.
He expressed optimism that the number of registered voters in Negros Occidental will either match or exceed previous election figures, although he noted that voter movement, including transfers in and out of the province, may affect the final count.*
