Comelec to hold mock poll in Aklan

CEBU, Philippines - A mock election will be conducted by the Comelec on February 13 in the towns of Kalibo and Malay in Aklan.

Comelec-Aklan Provincial Election Supervisor Ian Lee Ananoria said Aklan and Cebu are the only provinces in the Visayas chosen as pilot areas to determine and ensure the adequate security, accuracy, system and capability of the vote counting machine to be used in the May 9 national and local elections.

The polling centers for the mock elections will be at Barangays Poblacion and Linabuan Norte in Kalibo and at Barangay Poblacion in Malay mainland and Barangay Balabag in Boracay Island, also of Malay.

Each precinct will have pre-selected 100 voters each, complete with assisting Board of Election Inspectors, election officers and technical supporters during the voting.

The voting period will start from 7 a.m. and end at 12 noon, after which the votes will be canvassed and transmitted, said the Comelec, adding that a random manual audit will also be conducted.

To prepare for the mock elections in Aklan, the Comelec had coordinated with the Philippine National Police, the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting–Aklan, and the Department of Education.

The police and the military will provide escort in the transport of the VCMs to Kalibo and Malay from the port of origin, as well as to provide security and visibility, while observing mandated distance from polling centers on the day of the mock elections.

A training for the BEIs, provincial election supervisor, election officers and two technical support personnel will be held prior to the mock election.

The Comelec had also coordinated with the DepEd-Aklan for the use of classrooms for the activity. — Contributed article (FREEMAN)