The Commission on Elections here through provincial election supervisor Atty. Eliseo labaria said that registered voters, whose biometrics were not activated or validated as of the deadline on October 31, 2015, cannot cast vote in May 9, 2016 elections.

This means that some 23,659, whose biometrics were deactivated, may not be able to participate in the electoral exercise in the coming elections.

But a voter may still have a chance to exercise his/her right of suffrage if he/she files what is called “inclusion of proceedings,” wherein a petitioner files a legal action asking the court for inclusion of his name in the final voter’s list. But a petitioner shall only have until January 24, 2016 to do this, Labaria, who guested Kapihan sa PIA last week, said.

The final voter’s list wil be available on February 9, 2016, the start of the official campaign for candidates vying for national posts, like senator, vice-president and president. They will be posted in conspicuous places, Labaria said.

A voter may still check if his name is included in the list by visiting local Comelec office in their place.

Comelec said the figures (23,659 w/ no biometrics) are lesser than the previous count of 41,270 out of total 757,144 voters in Bohol.

And the latest number of voters jumps to a total of 798,768 in entire Bohol having three congressional districts.

Vote-rich towns are the following: Ubay with 40,803; Talibon, 32,168; Carmen, 27,844; Loon, 26,340; Inabanga, 25,817; Tubigon, 25,704; and Dauis, 24,607 voters.

And the following towns having small number of voters below 10,000 are: Alburquerque, 6,408; Antequera, 8,438; Batuan, 7,870; Corella, 4,853; Dimiao, 9,319; Lila, 6,395; San Isidro, 6,100; Sevilla, 6,775; and Sikatuna, 4,486.

Other towns having over 10,000 voters are the following: Alicia, 12,615; Anda, 10,985; Baclayon, 11,575; Balilihan, 10,821; Bien-Unido, 15,384; Bilar, 11,040; Buenavista, 16,648; Calape, 19,547; Candijay, 18,451; Catigbian, 13,297; Clarin, 13,116; Cortes, 10,041; Dagohoy, 10,663; Danao, 11,911; Duero, 11,556; Garcia-Hernandez, 13,570; Guindulman, 19,349; Jagna, 19 223; Getafe, 18,201; Loay, 10,911; Loboc, 10,596; Mabini, 15,549; Maribojoc, 12,040; Panglao 19,248; Pilar, 15,169; Pres. Garcia, 13,879; Sagbayan, 13,863; San Miguel, 13,185; Sierra-Bullones, 13,971; Trinidad, 18,176; and Valencia, 14,538. Tagbilaran City has a total of 54,100 registered voters. (rvo)