BY GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The Commission on Elections reported a “unusually high turnout” of new registered voters composed of the youth in Negros Occidental, which Provincial Comelec supervisor Atty. Ian Lee Ananoria expects as a very “big force” to reckon with in the 2025 mid-term elections.
As of July 21, Ananoria reported 86,562 newly registered voters in Negros Occidental, including highly urbanized Bacolod City.
Ananoria said the bulk of the new registered voters come from the youth sector, which are now “politically aware” because of social media, which he observed during the May 9 presidential election campaign.
The registration of new voters will end at 5 p.m. today.
Ananoria said that there will be no extension in the registration of new voters, as per advice by the Comelec. He however said that he will leave it to Election Officers on how to manage those still in line after the 5 p.m. deadline passes.
In Bacolod City alone, he reported that a maximum of 700 new voters per day being processed by COMELEC personnel for registration.
Ananoria also attributed the high turnout to acceptance on transfer of voters.
He appealed registrants to be patient, noting long lines outside Comelec offices.
Despite moves in Congress to postpone the scheduled barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections, he said the are still preparing for the December 5 polls.
If a law to postpone it is passed, Ananoria said he received an information from the Comelec that the registration of new voters could resume on October this year, in preparation for the 2025 elections.*
