The Commission on Elections is ready to use the official ballots initially printed for the deferred October 2017 barangay and youth elections for this year鈥檚 polls.
In Comelec Resolution No. 10248 promulgated聽on Monday, the poll body said it would be using the printed ballots, as well as other election forms, to save on public funds and government resources.
The barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections are scheduled to be held on聽May 14, 2018聽after two deferments under President Duterte鈥檚 administration.
The Comelec said voters in Metro Manila, Luzon and the Visayas woould be using the 59,578,346 official ballots printed from聽August 9 to September 30聽last year.
Meanwhile, additional ballots, accountable and non-accountable forms will also be printed for those who signed up as voters during the November 6 to November 30, 2017 voters鈥� registration period.
The Comelec noted that there were 843,588 applications for voter registration in November.
However, the local election registration boards have yet to verify, certify and seal the list of voters on聽February 7.
鈥淭o avoid confusion, these new ballots will bear October 23, 2017 as the date of the elections,鈥� the Comelec said in a statement.
On the other hand, the ballots, accountable and non-accountable forms to be printed for Mindanao will indicate 鈥楳ay 14, 2018鈥� as Election Day.
The Omnibus Election Code does not prescribe the form and contents of the official ballots. It does not 聽require that the date of the election be specified on the ballots.
Earlier, no official ballots and other forms have been printed for Mindanao after the postponement of the polls there due to the imposition of martial law in relation to the Marawi City siege.