There are 12,479 voters in two cities and three towns in Negros Occidental projected to be affected by Kanlaon Volcano’s unrests, a Commission on Elections report shows.
However, only 4,936 in Bago City, La Carlota City and La Castellana are directly affected for now, Provincial Elections Supervisor Ian Lee Ananoria said on Thursday, April 24.
The 1,390 residents of barangays Gomez and Zamora in Pontevedra and 6,871 from Minoyan, Murcia, will only be affected if Kanlaon emits ash on Election Day, he said.
Ananoria said, the 4,936 voters displaced residents from Bago City, La Carlota City and La Castellana will have to vote in identified alternative voting areas close to their evacuations centers since they cannot go home while Kanlaon Volcano remains under Alert Level 3.
The Comelec en banc approved the change in voting centers for 718 voters in La Carlota City, 2,116 in La Castellana and 2,102 in Bago City, he said.
Ananoria said the Comelec has alternate sites for the Murcia and Pontevedra residents in case of ash fall from Kanlaon on Election Day.
Meanwhile, the Automated Counting Machines will be distributed to the towns and cities of Negros Occidental early next week, he said.
The ballots are expected to be distributed late next week, he added.*