Comelec expects lower voter turnout in Wednesday’s BOL plebiscite

February 5, 2019

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) expects a lower voter turnout during Wednesday's plebiscite for the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) in Lanao del Norte and North Cotabato.

In a press briefing Tuesday, Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said while they are hopeful it will have a similar success as in January 21, they won’t be surprised if it will see fewer voters.

“The January 21 plebiscite was a success and we hope to duplicate that success here. (But) it will remain to be seen whether or not we will be able to match the turnout,” said Jimenez.

''The stakes are a little different. The stakes are no longer ratification. It’s just inclusion,” he explained.

 Jimenez said the history of elections in the Mindanao provinces may result to a 70 percent voter turnout.

“We are nevertheless hopeful that because this is a politically active area, we expect we will have a turnout of at least better than 70 percent,” said the poll official.

The January 21 BOL plebiscite netted an 85 percent voter turnout.

Areas to conduct the Bangsamoro plebiscite today are the towns of Baloi, Munai, Nunungan, Pantar, Tagoloan, and Tangkal in Lanao del Norte.

Also participating are 67 barangays in the municipalities of Aleosan, Carmen, Kabacan, Midsayap, Pigkawayan, Pikit, and Tulunan in North Cotabato.

A total of 639,361 registered voters are set to cast their votes in 2,129 clustered precincts in 588 voting centers in the covered areas.

Voting will be held from 7am to 3pm.

Jimenez said one of their concerns is the possible spillover of violence from from Jolo, Sulu and Zamboanga City.

“The biggest concern coming into the (plebiscite) is that there’ll be a spillover of the violence from other parts of Mindanao to the plebiscite areas,” he said. DMS