THE Commission on Elections-Davao Region (Comelec-Davao) processed 271,199 voter registration-related applications for the November 2026 elections, with officials noting a last-minute surge before the May 18 deadline.
Acting regional director Atty. Gay Enumerables said the registration period, which ran from October 2025 to May 18, 2026, processed a total of 271,199 applications across the Davao Region. These included new registrations, transfers, reactivations, and updates of voter records.
“For the entire regional area, we processed 271,199 applicants,” Enumerables said during the iSpeak media forum at Davao City Hall on Thursday, May 21, 2026.
In Davao City alone, Comelec processed 91,390 applications during the registration period.
Election officials said registration teams conducted field operations in barangays, malls, schools, and telecommunications sites to make voter registration more accessible.
“We visited barangays. We went to malls and schools,” Enumerables said.
Despite months of registration activities, many residents still waited until the final days before registering, resulting in long lines and a surge of applicants at registration centers, including NCCC Mall sites, during the last weekend and on the deadline day.
Comelec urged qualified voters not to wait until the deadline in future registration periods and underscored the importance of participating in elections.
“Mayaman ka, mahirap, you have the same vote
(Whether you are rich or poor, you have the same vote),” Enumerables said.
The agency said preparations for the November 2026 elections will continue following the close of voter registration. EUNICE FELIPE/UM, SUNSTAR INTERN
