ANTIQUE – This province has 387,998 registered voters for the May 2022 elections, data from the Commission on Elections (Comelec) showed.
There’s an increase of 16,754 voters from the 2019 midterm elections when Antique had 371,244 registered voters.
Three of the province’s 18 municipalities now have over 30 thousand voters. These are Sibalom (39,558), San Jose (37,962) and Hamtic (30,483).
Six towns, on the other hand, have over 20 thousand voters. These are the following:
* Culasi – 28,497
* Pandan – 24,806
* Caluya – 23,998
* San Remigio – 22,808
* Bugasong – 22,422
* Patnongon – 22,006
On the other hand, eight municipalities have more than 10 thousand voters. These are the following:
* Laua-an – 19,526
* Tobias Fornier – 19,317
* Tibiao – 18,121
* Barbaza – 15,881
* Valderrama – 14,313
* Anini-y – 14,197
* Sebaste – 12,766
* Libertad – 11,402
Only one town has registered voters less than 10 thousand – Belison. It has 9,935.
Atty. Wilfred Jay Balisado, director of Comelec Region 6, said the turnout of votes in May 2022 could be higher than in 2019 because it’s a presidential election.
On average in Antique, voter turnout during elections is between 70 and 74 percent, according to Balisado. But “pag-national election, aabot talaga ‘yan ng 75 percent or mas mataas pa.”
Is a 100-percent voter turnout likely?
Balisado said some voters don’t show up in polling precincts on election day due various issues such as laziness to exercise their right to suffrage, the candidates do not impress them, and/or the long queues in polling precincts.
“Mas maganda kung magboboto sila. They should exercise their power to choose their leaders,” said Balisado.
Data from Comelec-6 showed Antique having 2,546 established polling precincts (classrooms) in 521 voting centers (schools) spread in 590 barangays./PN