What is

Suffrage?
• SUFFRAGE is the
right and obligation to
vote in the election of
all officers chosen by
the people and in the
decision of public
questions submitted
to the people.
• System of Suffrage in the
Philippines
• Nature of Suffrage
 1. Regular
Election
Kinds:

2. Special
Election
 A) Election

B) Plebiscite
Suffrage
includes the C)Initiative
following:
D)Recall

E) Referendum
QUALIFICATION AND DISQUALIFICATION OF VOTERS

Qualifications Disqualifications

1. Filipino citizenship by birth or naturalization 1. Sentenced by final judgment to suffer imprisonment for not less than 1 year
2. Age (at least 18 years of age on the day of the election) 2. Conviction by final judgment for –
3. Residence (at least 1 year in the Philippines, and at least 6 a. Any crime involving disloyalty to the government
months where he proposes to vote, immediately preceding the
election) b. Any crime against national security

 Must at least possess such qualification on the day c. Any violation of the Firearms law
of the election [Note: Such disqualification may be removed by the grant of plenary pardon or amnesty, or the
lapse of 5 years after the service of sentence]

[Note: No literacy, property or other substantive requirement shall be 1. Under the Citizenship Retention and Re-Acquisition Act of 2003 (RA 9225) –
imposed on the exercise of suffrage] a. Candidates for or occupying any public office in the country of which they are naturalized citizens;
and/or
b. In active service as commissioned or non-commissioned officers in the armed forces of the
country in which they are naturalized citizens
 The Congress is
constitutionally mandated
to:
1. Provide a system for
Power of securing the secrecy and
Congress to sanctity of the ballot and
for absentee voting.
regulate 2.Design a procedure for the
suffrage disabled and the illiterate to
vote without the assistance
of other persons
 The Overseas Absentee Voting Act of 2003 (RA 9189): System of absentee voting for qualified citizens of the
Philippines abroad

Qualifications Disqualifications
1. Filipino citizenship 1. Loss of Philippine citizenship by naturalization in another
2. Age: at least 18 years of age on the day of country
the election 2. Renunciation of Philippine citizenship
3. Registered as an absentee voter or certified 3. Conviction of offenses punishable by not less than 1 year from
as a registered voter under the provision of imprisonment
the Voter’s Registration Act of 1996 4. Found guilty of disloyalty under the RPC
5. Declared insane or incompetent by competent authority
6. Immigrants or permanent residents
Exception: unless they execute upon registration an affidavit
prepared by the COMELEC declaring that they shall resume
actual physical residence in the Philippines not later than 3
years from the approval of their registration as absentee voters
 • REGISTRATION: a method
of proof, prescribed for
ascertaining the electors
REGISTRATION who are qualified to cast
OF VOTERS votes; a means by which
the government is enabled
to supervise and regulate
the activities of various
elements participating in
the election
SYSTEM OF CONTINUING REGISTRATION

Right to vote is conditioned upon certain procedural requirements he must undergo.

To be qualified in addition to the minimum requirements set by the Constitution, a citizen must be
registered, at present under the provisions of the Voter’s Registration Act of 1996 (RA 8189).

Sec. 8 of RA 8189: the personal filing of application of registration of voters is to be conducted daily
in the office of the Election Officer during regular office hours.

Registration during the period starting 120 days before a regular election and 90 days before a
special election is prohibited.
Registration more than once is prohibited.

If registrant has transferred residence, only an application for transfer of registration

is needed.

The determination of WON the conduct of special registration of voter is feasible,

possible or practical within the remaining period before the actual date of election,
involves the exercise of discretion and thus, cannot be controlled by mandamus
Rule on ILLITERATE OR DISABLED APPLICANTS

The voter’s affidavit may be prepared by

any relative within the 4th civil degree of
consanguinity or affinity or by any member
of the BEI who shall prepare the affidavit in
accordance with the data supplied by the
applicant
 II. EFFECT OF REGISTRATION
ON THE RIGHT TO VOTE
II. EFFECT OF
REGISTRATION • Mere registration of a voter does
ON THE RIGHT not confer upon him the right to
TO VOTE
vote.
• It is a precedent to the exercise of
the right to vote.
• It is a form of regulation, not a
qualification.
 • Rule on
- Still qualified to vote,
provided that the
COMELEC has to
make a determination
Rule on on which registration
DOUBLE is valid and which is
REGISTRANTS void.
- While the first
registration of any
voter subsists, any
subsequent
registration is void ab
initio.