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BOE to tap volunteers, other gov’t agencies to help in Nov. 6 elections
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Posted on Oct 15 1999
The Board of Elections will tap community volunteers and employees of other government agencies to assist in conducting the midterm elections on Nov. 6, the election chief said yesterday.
BOE Executive Director Gregorio Sablan said the administration has instructed heads of government agencies to lend some of their employees to supplement the election office’s regular manpower.
He said the board is awaiting lists of poll watchers and tabulators to be selected by the Republican, Democratic and Reform parties. Independent candidates are required to send their own poll supervisors during the political exercise.
“The parties and candidates will identify their own poll watchers, tabulators and poll supervisors, but these workers will be compensated by the board,” Sablan said.
The board has a budget of $90,000 for the political exercise. The budget covers the printing and personnel costs, Sablan said.
“That amount should be sufficient, but I have been assured by the governor that he would find extra money should the need for additional funds arise,” Sablan said. “Right now, I can’t tell yet how much we would be needing to pay the poll workers.”
Sablan said the board will soon issue and distribute passes to the media and representatives of parties and independent candidates, to authorize them to enter and observe in polling places.
“Those who would be given passes would be allowed to walk around the polling places and observe proceedings to make sure no irregular activities are conducted,” Sablan said.
“We expect the election process to be smooth and peaceful like it had always been in the past. Our voters are mature enough, and they know how to vote,” Sablan said.
Sablan yesterday mailed the first batch of ballots for absentee voters.
“We wish to request parents of off-island students to tell their children to fill in the ballots and mail them back to our office as soon as they received them,” Sablan said. (Mar-Vic Cagurangan)
