Make yourself counted

The voters' registration deadline is moved from October 31 instead of December 15, 2009.

I quote the following from the COMELEC site:

“The Commission resolved to move back the voters’ registration deadline to October 31 from December 15 in order to give us more time to prepare for the full automation of the 2010 elections,” states COMELEC spokesman James Jimenez.

Jimenez however explained that despite the registration draw back, voters will be given more opportunity to register as the poll body has recently ruled to open registration on Saturdays and Holidays as a way to encourage more student and worker registrants.

COMELEC Resolution 8585 said that “there are compelling reasons for the amendments being sought in order for the Commission to accomplish the pre-election activities in pursuit of its mandate to conduct clean, honest, orderly, peaceful, and credible May 10, 2010 National and Local Elections.”

“There is a public clamor to open registration during Saturday to accommodate the youth-students and the busy workers, who have no time to register during the weekdays,” the COMELEC en banc said.

“As they (the youth) will comprise the majority of the first time registrants, the Commission deemed it best to lift the afore-cited time limitation in Secs. 6 and to provide additional registration days and holidays falling on weekdays, except Holy Thursday and Good Friday on April 9 and 10, 2009,” the resolution furthered.