Low turnout in 2019 midterm polls

CEBU, Philippines — The Commission on Elections-Cebu City has recorded a lower voter turnout in the city this year compared to the 2016 and the 2013 elections.

This year’s turnout is just 76.10 percent, which is relatively lower compared to the 83 percent turnout in the 2016 elections and the 81.36 percent recorded in the 2013 elections.

Out of the 709,608 registered voters in the city, there were only 540,013 who actually voted during the midterm elections last Monday.

North District Election Officer Chaunsey Boholst said the voter turnout this year is not considered low.

“Dagko og turnout ang bukid – Agsungot ug Pung-ol Sibugay – like ang one is 86 something percent and the other one is 88 percent.  So, mas dako sila og voter turnout sa bukid, kaysa diri sa urban barangays,” he said.

Boholst said this is a clear indication that the people in the mountain barangays have actually voted despite reports of harassment and terrorism there.

He said the alleged violence in the mountain barangays did not affect the voter turnout since the mountain barangays recorded a higher turnout compared to the urban barangays.

“It only shows nga despite sa katong di ba naa man toy mga previous news reports nga there were alleged violence ngadto sa kabukiran pero ang nahitabo wala diay mahadlok ang mga tawo, ni-exercise sila sa ilang right to vote despite the fact nga naay alleged threats sa ilang security,” he added.

Boholst reminded that those people who have not voted for two consecutive elections will have to process their registration as they will be erased in the Computerized Voters’ List.

“Pero kung kausa lang wala naka vote o karon lang nga election so dili pa ma-erase,” he said.

In 2016, there were 524,850 who actually voted out of the 630,003 registered voters in the city.

Outgoing Mayor Tomas Osmeña won with 259,089 votes, while then former mayor now vice mayor-elect Michael Rama got 224,705.

In the 2013 polls, out of the 547,681 registered voters, there were 445,576 people who actually voted.

In 2013, Rama won by 6,376 votes higher over Osmeña.

This year, mayor-elect and incumbent Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella, who got 265,738 votes, defeated Osmeña who got 246,813 votes.

Labella won by 18,929-margin against Osmeña. — GAN (FREEMAN)