QUIAPO, MANILA – The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) announced on Thursday, May 16, that over 4.2 million registered voters were deactivated following the 2023 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE).
According to COMELEC spokesperson John Rex Laudiangco, the deactivated voters shall be deducted from the current total number of voters.
“4.2 million voters will be deactivated. Hence, deductible to the present total number of voters of 68 million,” he said.
Reasons for Deactivation
Most of the voters were deactivated because they failed to vote in two consecutive elections. Other reasons include court-ordered exclusions (1,829 voters), failure to validate records (595 voters), loss of Filipino citizenship (three voters), and conviction for serious offenses (two voters).
Calabarzon leads with 733,245 deactivated voters, followed by Central Luzon with 503,280. The Cordillera Administrative Region has the fewest deactivations with 69,108 voters.
Despite the deactivations, voters have a chance to reactivate their registration.
The poll body is conducting voter registration activities nationwide until September 30, allowing delisted voters to reactivate their status by following instructions sent via email from COMELEC.
This move aims to maintain an updated and accurate voters’ list as the country prepares for future elections.
Voters Reactivation and Registration
COMELEC Chair George Garcia urged delisted voters to reactivate their registration to participate in upcoming elections.
“Reactivation means even if they were removed, it doesn’t mean they’re no longer voters. They are still voters, their records are there, but as a sort of penalty imposed by law, you won’t be allowed to vote for the meantime,” Garcia says.
Voter registration, including reactivation, is ongoing nationwide until the end of September.
Voters can apply for reactivation at local election offices or select satellite registration stations.
COMELEC is also conducting a voter registration drive to add new voters for the May 2025 midterm elections. As of May 5, more than 2.5 million new voters have been registered. COMELEC aims to reach a target of three million additional registered voters by the end of the registration period.
Filipinos who are at least 18 years old by the time of the election can go to any registration offices, Monday to Saturday, 8AM to 5PM.
This extensive deactivation and reactivation effort aims to ensure an accurate and updated voter list for the next elections.
Voters are also encouraged to verify their registration status and participate in the ongoing registration activities to secure their right to vote in future elections.