Comelec sees 100% turnout in voting simulation exercises for BARMM polls

MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Saturday completed its voting simulation exercises in preparation for the first Bangsamoro Parliamentary elections in September.

The Comelec held the simulation in 10 clustered precincts at the Rebuken Elementary School and Katamlagan Elementary School in Sultan Kudarat; Cotabato City Institute and Cotabato City High School in Cotabato; and Siyola Primary School in Bongao, Tawi-Tawi.

The exercises included mock voting, counting of votes, and transmission of election results where 50 registered voters participated in each clustered precinct.

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Comelec chairperson George Erwin Garcia said that the mock voting was done to assess and test the readiness of election personnel, voting procedures, and the automated elections systems used, particularly the automated counting machines.

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READ: Comelec holds Cotabato mock election to prepare for Sept parliamentary polls

Based on data provided by the Comelec to the media, the voter turnout in each clustered precinct was registered at 100%.

The poll body likewise recorded a 100% turnout rate for printing of nine copies of election returns; transmission of results; printing of statistical report and audit log report; and completion of final backup in each school.

Garcia noted that all of the results reflected in each clustered precinct also appeared in the monitoring center at the Comelec main office in Intramuros, Manila.

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The transmission results were also delivered to the servers of dominant majority and minority parties, though they were not yet identified; the citizens’ arm, and the media.

“Results from the school precinct will simultaneously be received by all servers all at the same time,” Garcia told reporters in an interview.

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The poll body followed the same procedures in the 2025 national and local elections, given that the Bangsamoro polls will also be automated.

READ: Comelec ‘fully prepared’ for BARMM elections

The Comelec head also identified some changes in election materials, such as the use of 160 gram per square meter ballot paper and oil-based marker.

He added that the Comelec raised to 25% the threshold for ballot shading for the parliamentary elections so that the votes can easily be read by the machines.

“We have no TRO from the Supreme Court. There is no law postponing the Bangsamoro [Parliamentary elections],” Garcia said. “That’s why we are confident that the September 14 Bangsamoro Parliamentary elections will push through.” /apl

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