WATCH | Will outcome of special polls affect senate race?
The online news portal of TV5
All is set for the conduct of special elections today, May 14, in 55 clustered precincts in 14 towns in the country due to the failure of elections in these areas last Monday. The results of these special polls may have an effect on the proclamation of winners in the senate race.
Barangay Alobo in the town of Sta. Cruz in Marinduque province failed to hold elections on May 9 because ballots intended for the village were inadvertently sent to Sarangani province.
This caused a delay in the proclamation of winners for the position of councilors in the town. The representative of Marinduque cannot also be proclaimed because 20 percent of the voting population of the province comes from Sta. Cruz.
According to a ruling of the Commission on Elections, 90 percent of the total votes should have been canvassed before a board member, representative and governor can be proclaimed.
Since the votes from Marinduque, which has at least 100,000 registered voters, were not transmitted to the Comelec sitting as the National Board of Canvassers, this may affect the rankings for the senatorial race.
The Comelec called for the holding of special polls because some teachers refused to serve as Board of Election Inspectors, some ballots were misdelivered and there were security concerns.
The poll body will have to wait for the outcome of the special voting – depending on the votes it canvasses – before it can proclaim the 12 winners in the senatorial race next week.
