THE Commission on Elections is looking for more ways to improve accessibility to polling precincts. 

One of them is to expand the mall voting program for the May 2025 midterm elections as the poll body seeks to ease the burden on public schools. 

“Bakit hindi natin gamitin ‘yung mga ganitong lugar sa isang barangay, kaysa nagsisiksikan tayo sa elementary school na pagkainit-init at pagkatapos nasisira pa ‘yung kagamitan ng mga bata?” Comelec Chairperson George Garcia said at a press conference on Thursday. 

“Samantalang kung nandito tayo sa mga ganitong lugar, maayos po, maayos ang pagpila, maayos ang pagboto, at the same time, hindi po natin nagagamit ang mga paaralan,” he added.

Garcia noted that when public schools are utilized for elections, the Department of Education is responsible for covering the expenditures for water and power. 

“So kung saka-sakaling may ibang lugar na maibibigay naman sa atin ng libre katulad ng malls, oh di mas maganda na doon na lang natin gawin,” he said.

If the mall voting expansion goes ahead, Garcia said, voting precincts will be moved after consulting with the concerned voters.

“Meron po kaming tinatawag na consultation process. Ibig sabihin, kung majority ng mga nakatira sa barangay na ‘yan o sa presintong ‘yan gusto ilipat ang kanilang pagboto sa mall, saka po namin ililipat. Hindi po namin pupuwersahin ang paglipat ng venue ng pagboto,” he said.

The Comelec implemented mall voting in select areas on October 30, 2023, for the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections.