Comelec prints nearly 30M ballots for May polls, ahead of schedule

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has printed nearly 30 million ballots for the May 12 midterm elections, representing 41% of the total 72 million required.

Comelec Chairman George Erwin M. Garcia announced that they are ahead of schedule and expect to complete printing by March 19 with verification finishing by April 14.

Each ballot undergoes a two-step quality check - first manually at the National Printing Office (NPO) for defects, then via machine scanning.

Around 7% to 8% of ballots are typically rejected due to issues like smudges or incorrect cuts, necessitating reprinting to ensure precise distribution to each precinct by April 14.

Garcia emphasized that Comelec ensures all precincts receive the exact number of ballots needed and will deliver election materials to provincial treasurers three weeks before the elections.