Question & AnswerQ&A (Republic Act No. 3588)
Republic Act No. 3588 provides for the permanent registration of voters and postpones the general renewal of voter registration set for the year 1963.
All persons possessing all the qualifications prescribed for a voter and none of the disqualifications have the right and duty to be registered in the permanent list of voters of the city, municipality, or municipal district where they are domiciled.
A person must possess the qualifications prescribed for a voter, not be disqualified to vote, and must be domiciled in the city, municipality, or municipal district of registration, or prove they will have such domicile by election day.
The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) appoints at least one election registrar and a clerk in each city, municipality, and municipal district.
Except in certain cases, only members of the Philippine Bar may qualify for appointment as election registrar. If no lawyers are available, graduates of recognized schools of law, liberal arts, or education who are civil service eligibles may be appointed.
A qualified voter must personally appear before the election registrar within 60 days after acquiring the qualifications but not later than 60 days before a regular election or 30 days before a special election to file a sworn application for registration in triplicate.
The application must contain the applicant's full name, place of birth, age, Philippine citizenship, civil status, profession, exact address, voter qualifications, prints of all ten fingers, specimen signatures, passport or ID photograph, and other data required by the Commission on Elections.
The election registrar must provide a certificate of disapproval stating the grounds. The applicant may file a petition for inclusion with the Justice of the Peace or Court of First Instance within 15 days, which shall be decided within 15 days.
Any elector or representative of any political party of the city, municipality, or municipal district may appear before the election registrar to challenge any application for registration under oath stating the grounds for the challenge.
Registration can be canceled for death, final conviction with imprisonment of not less than one year or disloyalty to the Republic, failure to vote in two successive regular elections, or for illegal registration as determined by court decisions.
It contains all original copies of approved voter registration applications for each precinct, arranged alphabetically, sealed and certified by the election registrar, delivered to the board of inspectors during elections, and returned to the registrar for safekeeping after elections.
The permanent list is composed of approved applications from all precincts, with duplicate copies sent to the Provincial Central File and the triplicate to the Commission on Elections, both open to the public during office hours for legitimate inquiries.
The voter must notify the election registrar not later than 45 days before a regular election or 30 days before a special election. If the precinct changes, the election registrar transfers the registration application accordingly and reports the change to COMELEC and the Provincial Filing Center.
The election registrar has powers similar to justices of the peace to administer oaths, issue subpoenas and subpoenas duces tecum, swear witnesses, and compel attendance and testimony.
The Commission on Elections may annul the precinct book of voters after due notice and hearing if prepared with fraud, bribery, forgery, impersonation, intimidation, force, or any similar irregularity.