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More last-minute applications for absentee voting
The Commonwealth Election Commission received yesterday a lot of last-minute applications for absentee voting by electronic mail or fax, according to CEC administrative officer Julita Villagomez.
Villagomez said the last day for application for absentee voting is today, Friday.
“After [Friday], we will not accept applications anymore because the law says the 10th is the deadline,” Villagomez told Saipan Tribune.
She said they reviewed the applications that they received through emails and fax and processed them.
“We need to verify whether their names are correct. When an application comes in, we have to enter it in our system. We have to check whether they are registered before we can give them the ballots,” Villagomez said.
She could not give exact figures on the number of absentee applications they have received because they’re still processing them.
As of Sept. 25, the Office of the Public Auditor verified over 1,400 requested absentee ballots that CEC would be sending out starting that day. It would take a week, or from seven to 10 days for the ballots to reach the voters.
The over 1,400 requested absentee ballots were lower than the 1,800 requested in previous general elections. This year, however, the number of registered voters is breaking records at 18,002.
CEC executive director Robert A. Guerrero anticipates 2,500 absentee voters this Nov. 4 elections.
Guerrero earlier said they believe they will come up with the same figure, if not more, from the 2009 general polls because of many people have moved abroad.
According to CEC, an absentee ballot application form must be completed and filed by each voter for a scheduled election at least 25 days before an election if done by mail or by the business day prior to the scheduled election day.
CEC reportedly now has 22,000 general election ballots, along with the ballots for the special election. Both polls will be on Nov. 4.
If none of the four gubernatorial teams garner at least 50 percent plus one of the votes cast, then there will be a gubernatorial runoff race.
