The Commission on Elections (Comelec) announced an 80% average voter turnout in the mock elections held on Saturday across 15 areas nationwide.
“Everything went smoothly,” said Comelec spokesperson John Rex Laudiangco in a Dobol B TV interview. “In 15 cities and municipalities, including areas in Mindanao, the mock elections began at 7 a.m. as scheduled.”
Turnout and Regions
While most areas recorded voter turnouts above 70%, Region 13 (Caraga) achieved the highest turnout at 97.5%, while Region 8 (Eastern Visayas) recorded the lowest turnout at 46%. Laudiangco explained that the mock elections were purposely conducted in remote areas to assess potential challenges.
“By conducting these elections in far-flung areas, we tested the difficulties faced by Comelec and the voters,” he said.
A lack of transportation was identified as a significant issue in Eastern Visayas, impacting voter turnout.
Technology Proves Reliable
Despite logistical challenges, the Comelec praised the successful use of technology in the mock elections.
“All transmissions were completed 100% — from precincts to municipal canvassing centers, central servers, PPCRV, NAMFREL servers, media servers, political party servers, and backup servers,” said Comelec Chairman George Garcia.
In Jolo, Sulu, automated counting machines transmitted data seamlessly, while in Patikul, transmission was completed using a satellite device despite a power outage. The Comelec aims to complete canvassing and transmission within 30 minutes during the actual elections.
“The speed depends largely on signal transmission,” Laudiangco added.
Comelec also noted it has rented 110,000 automated counting machines, though only 93,000 will be used, leaving a surplus for contingency purposes.
Ballot Printing to Resume
After delays caused by Supreme Court-issued restraining orders, the reprinting of 71 million ballots will resume on Monday. Each ballot will undergo individual testing through automated counting machines to ensure proper readability.
“We lost three weeks, so we need to catch up with printing,” said Laudiangco.
The mock elections serve as part of Comelec’s preparation for the upcoming May 2025 midterm elections, ensuring a smooth and efficient voting process.