DASMARIÑAS CITY, Philippines — A low voter turnout is expected in Dasmariñas City’s special election due to the effects of the southwest monsoon, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said Saturday.
The prediction came as heavy rain poured over the city as residents cast their votes for a new congressional representative to replace former lawmaker Francisco “Kiko” Barzaga.
READ: LOOK: Dasmariñas City holds special election to replace Kiko Barzaga
“Yes, kapag talaga namang ganiyan, siyempre ‘yung iba mas iniingatan nila ‘yung kanilang kalusugan lalo na ‘yung may mga nararamdaman lalo o may mga comorbidities so hindi na lang sila lumalabas sa mga tirahan nila,“ said Comelec Chairperson George Erwin Garcia in a chance interview.
(Yes, in situations like this, people naturally take extra care of their health, especially those who are already feeling unwell or have underlying health conditions, so they simply avoid leaving their homes.)
“Noong nakaraan ang sabi natin 60 to 65 percent. Ngayon kontento na tayo kung kahit maka-50 percent man lang ang bumoto,” said Garcia.
(We previously projected a turnout of 60 to 65 percent. Now, we would be satisfied with a 50 percent voter turnout.)
This, he added, is similar to the turnout of past special elections—like the recent Antipolo City special election, which only saw a turnout of 31 percent, and the plebiscite held in Parañaque City, which had a 17.4 percent voter turnout.
“Pero sana naman dito mas mataas sapagkat napaka importante rin noong posisyon na kanila pong pi-fill up-an,” he said.
(But I hope it’s higher here because the position they are filling is also very important.)
Garcia, however, clarified that voter turnout will not affect the results of the election under the rule of plurality.
“Ibig sabihin, hindi po kinakailangang majority of registered voters ay nakaboto at ang sabi po ng batas din ang ipoproklama ng Comelec ay kung sino lamang ang may pinakamataas na boto na nakuha sa lahat ng kandidato,” said Garcia.
(This means it is not required for a majority of registered voters to have cast their votes; the law dictates that the Comelec shall proclaim the candidate who garnered the most number of votes among all the candidates.)
Dasmariñas City makes up the entire 4th District of Cavite, with 447,387 registered voters across 75 barangays. /gsg
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