Midterm elections see low turnout, new digital voting systems

On Monday, May 12, Filipinos participated in the midterm elections to vote for senators, party-list representatives, and local officials.

The election saw a record-high of 68.43 million registered voters domestically and an additional 1.24 million overseas but only 5% voter turnout among overseas Filipino voters, particularly in the United States.

New technology provided by South Korean firm Miru Systems was used for domestic voting while SMS Global Technologies' internet voting system enabled Filipino voters abroad to cast their ballots online, marking a significant shift towards digital voting.

Despite efforts to modernize and improve accessibility, concerns were raised over low voter turnout and issues with the new online voting system among overseas Filipinos.

Local races focused on issues such as health care, utilities, and grassroots industries, while progressive candidates like Bam Aquino and Kiko Pangilinan led in partial results from U.S.-based voters.