MANILA, July 22 (PNA) — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is set to hold an online survey to know the pulse of the people regarding the proposal to hold voting in malls.
Comelec Chairman Andres Bautista said they want to know the public’s view on the plan to conduct mall voting in the May 2016 polls.
“We would like the public to also participate in this regard and we want them to let their thoughts be known,” he said.
The survey will be done at the Comelec website, www.comelec.gov.ph starting next week.
“We want to know the public, specifically what the voters, think about this novel idea of having elections being held in the various malls all over the country,” the poll body chief added.
It will be recalled that the Comelec has formed a technical working group (TWG) on proposal to hold mall-based voting.
Bautista noted that the TWG will study the SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) of the plan.
He added that the TWG will be looking at the legal aspects, as well as on how they can ensure that the mall-based voting will not give any advantages to would-be candidates being supported by mall owners.
Section 42 of the Omnibus Election Code provides that in case there is no public school or other public building that can be used as polling places, other appropriate private buildings may be designated.
But, the law states that such private buildings must not be “owned or occupied or possessed by any incumbent elective public official or candidate, or his relative within the fourth civil degree of consanguinity or affinity”. (PNA)