Comelec assures Bangsamoro polls on Oct 13 despite district changes

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) assured Thursday that the Bangsamoro Parliamentary Elections set for October 13 will proceed as planned despite pending legislation to redistribute districts in the region.

Comelec Chairperson George Garcia stated that postponing the elections would require a new law from Congress, and currently no such bill is pending, while Comelec has enough time to make adjustments once the measure takes effect on Tuesday, August 26.

Garcia noted that while there are logistical challenges, such as reconfiguring the automated election system due to recent parliamentary district changes in Sulu, they have ample time to prepare and will resume printing ballots on September 8.

The Comelec has requested input from stakeholders on how to handle 'None of the Above' (NOTA) votes, which is included in the Bangsamoro Electoral Code and must be practicable for inclusion in official ballots.

Garcia emphasized that all timelines are advanced to provide flexibility if issues arise as the elections draw nearer.