The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has uncovered over half a million cases of double or multiple voter registrations as part of its ongoing efforts to clean up the list of registered voters ahead of the 2025 national and local elections.
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| Comelec Chairman George Erwin Garcia |
Comelec Chairman George Erwin Garcia announced on Tuesday that, during the current review process by the Election Registration Board (ERB), a total of 532,837 applicants were found to have duplicate fingerprints in the automated fingerprint identification system (AFIS). These discrepancies were identified among the more than 6 million new applicants who registered between February 12 and September 30, 2024.
Garcia emphasized that double or multiple registrations are considered a serious election offense under the law, punishable by up to six years in prison. However, he reassured the public that those found to have duplicate records will be given the opportunity to explain the circumstances surrounding their registrations.
As the final list of voters is set to be released later this month, Garcia noted that it will serve as the basis for determining the number of official ballots to be printed for the 2025 elections. "The ballots printed will correspond to the one-ballot-per-voter ratio," he said.
In a shift from the usual timeline, the Comelec plans to begin printing ballots no later than the second week of December, allowing additional time to address any potential issues before the election cycle intensifies.
As of October 26, 2024, the registered voter count for the upcoming elections stood at 68,571,499, though Garcia said that number may still change as the cleansing process continues. The Comelec is expecting the final total of voters for the 2025 elections to be between 70 million and 71 million, up from 66 million in 2022.
Garcia also clarified that individuals who filled out registration forms are not automatically registered; they are considered applicants whose approval or disapproval rests with the ERB of the respective city or municipality.
Looking ahead, the Comelec is preparing to overhaul the current voter registry after the 2025 midterm elections, with a plan to conduct a nationwide re-registration using advanced biometric technologies. Garcia expressed his hope that Congress will support the initiative to annul the existing list and implement a new registration process that would integrate iris scanning, facial recognition, and full fingerprinting of all ten fingers to prevent future multiple registrations.
"I am committed to cleaning up the voters' list," Garcia said. "After the 2025 elections, I hope Congress will approve a fresh start by annulling the current voter list and conducting a new registration with the latest technology. This will ensure the integrity of the list and safeguard our elections for years to come."
This reform, which could take up to three months, would ensure a more accurate and secure list of voters, ultimately strengthening the credibility of the electoral process.
This reform, which could take up to three months, would ensure a more accurate and secure list of voters, ultimately strengthening the credibility of the electoral process.