Suffrage

 Article V section I of The 1987 Constitution of

the Republic of the Philippines stated; Suffrage
may be exercised by all citizens of the Philippines
not otherwise disqualified by law, who are at
least eighteen years of age, and who shall have
resided in the Philippines for at least one year
and in the place wherein they propose to vote for
at least six months immediately preceding the
election. No literacy, property or other
substantive requirement shall be imposed on the
exercise of suffrage.
 The Congress shall provide a system for
securing the secrecy and sanctity of the ballot as
well as a system for absentee voting by qualified
Filipinos abroad. The Congress shall also design
a procedure for the disabled and the illiterates
to vote without the assistance of other persons.
Until then, they shall be allowed to vote under
existing laws and such rules as the Commission
on Elections may promulgate to protect the
secrecy of the ballot.
 Every citizen 18 years old or above on
Election Day. A resident of the Philippines for
at least a year and for at least 6 months on
the place he is registering. Not otherwise
disqualified by law, may vote. In order to
actually vote, a citizen has to register.
 Any person who has been sentenced for a
prison term of not less than one year, except
after 5 years from completion of his sentence
Who has been found guilty of committing a
crime involving disloyalty to the State
(rebellion & treason), except after 5 years
from completion of his sentence, and Any
person found to be not normal mental
condition.
 Absentee voters are divided into two types:
◦ Local absentee voters include people who are
working during Election Day like soldiers,
policemen, government employees and the like.

◦ Overseas absentee voters refer to Filipinos

residing abroad. They are eligible to vote on
national positions only. Overseas absentee voters
may vote in Philippine embassies and consulates,
and voting begins as early as a 4 months prior to
the election.
 Election – means by which people choose
their officials for definite and fixed periods
and to whom they entrust, for the time being
as their representatives, the exercise of
powers of government.
 Plebiscite – the vote of the people expressing
their choice for or against a proposed law or
enactment submitted to them.
 Initiative – the process whereby the people
directly propose and enact laws
 Recall – method by which a public officer may
be removed from office during his tenure or
before the expiration of his term by a vote of
the people after registration of a petition
signed by a required percentage of voters.
 Referendum – the submission of a law by the
national or local legislative to the voting
citizens of a country for their ratification.
 General Election – are those held for the
purpose of electing national and local
officials simultaneously.
 National Elections – are those conducted to
elect the President, Vice President and
members of Congress.
 Local Elections – those held for purpose of
selecting officials in the region, provinces,
cities and municipalities.
 Special Elections – held on a date different
from that of regular elections.
 The certificate of candidacy of an individual
running for national elections is required to
be filed at the main office of the COMELEC
not later than the day prior to the beginning
to the campaign period.
 Campaign period for the President, Vice-
President and Senators is 90 days before the
day of election and 45 days before the day of
election for members of the House of
Representatives and elective provincial, city,
and municipal officials. Campaigning outside
the prescribed period is considered an
election offense.
 Every barangay is required to have at least
one election precinct, with each precinct
having not more than 300 votes.
 It is held on the 15th Saturday prior to the
day of election for those who are to reach 18
years or before the day of election and for
those qualifies to cast their vote but not
included in the list of voters.
 the COMELEC is empowered to designate
common poster areas in the barangay where
candidates can post their election
propaganda announcing their candidacy.
 Every political party and candidate is entitled
to one watcher in every polling place and
canvassing center.
 is constituted by a chairmain and two
members who are permanent public school
teachers.
 In every province, city and municipality, a
board of canvassers are constituted and is
composed of provincial election supervisor