Kanlaon evacuees to vote in alternate polling centers

Displaced residents from the Kanlaon Volcano eruption will vote in alternate polling centers for the May 12 elections as they are prohibited from returning to their homes.

The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) has confirmed it will not allow evacuees to return to their original polling centers.

Special elections will not be conducted in affected areas to avoid delaying the vote count.

Alternative polling precincts may be set up near evacuation sites for the 12,479 affected voters.

The Comelec anticipates setting up 22 proposed alternative polling centers for over 80,000 voters if Kanlaon's alert level is raised to 4.

Most towns in Negros Occidental are classified under the green category for election security, with Candoni under orange due to armed threats.