Giving away sample ballots with the names of real candidates on election day is illegal as it was considered a form of campaigning, the聽Commission on Elections (Comelec) warned on Monday.
Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez said it does not matter whether or not聽the distribution of such ballots happened close to or far away from polling precincts.
https://twitter.com/InqMetro/status/995844835406856193
鈥淚legal ang sample ballots. It doesn鈥檛 matter kung gaano kalayo o kalapit (ang聽pamimigay sa polling precinct),鈥� Jimenez told reporters in a press briefing.
The Comelec official stressed that sample ballots should either be empty or featuring聽names of fake candidates.
Campaigning is prohibited on election day. Giving away sample ballots featuring names of specific candidates will be considered campaigning, therefore a violation.
really want to help? make sure your sample ballots use dummy names and do not prominently feature your candidates.鈥� James Jimenez (@jabjimenez)
鈥淕awin niyong blangko o dummy (鈥榶ung sample ballot). Kung magbibigay ka ng聽material, maglalagay ka ng kandidato mo, sinong niloloko mo na sample ballot iyon?鈥澛爃e pointed out.
Jimenez said candidates whose names appear on sample ballots being distributed will not be automatically disqualified.
鈥淗indi automatic ang disqualification. You can report them, and we can set the聽process to determine who was really spreading (the sample ballots),鈥� Jimenez said.
鈥淲e want to get these people to stop, and we will determine accountability,鈥� he said.
Jimenez explained that candidates may only claim sabotage allegedly perpetrated by聽his or her opponents as an excuse to be absolved from the election offense. /muf
