J-Lo, Cameron Diaz top Senate race in mock polls

MANILA, Philippines – If elections were held today and celebrities were running, Jennifer Lopez would be the No. 1 senator.

This is based on the mock elections held at the University of the Philippines Integrated School (UPIS).

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) conducted mock polls in 10 cities and municipalities across the country on Saturday, February 2, to spot possible glitches in the voting procedure, counting machines, and results transmission.

For the mock polls, the Comelec used the names of popular personalities and bands in the ballot.

Of the 934 registered voters who were picked to participate in the mock polls at UPIS, 158 showed up, resulting in a turnout of 16.92%, which election officials and watchdogs considered low. There are 52 million registered voters for 2013.

For the senatorial contest, where 12 would be picked as winners, the poll body listed down as candidates 40 Hollywood celebrities, like Bryan Adams and Catherine Zeta-Jones. In the actual elections, there are 33 candidates for senator.

Results printed at UPIS as of 8:30 pm showed the following making it to the winning circle:

• Jennifer Lopez – 77 votes
• Cameron Diaz – 68
• Frank Allison – 61
• Neil Armstrong – 61
• Michael Jackson – 58
• Tom Cruise – 54
• Michael Buble – 50
• Mariah Carey – 49
• Harrison Ford – 48
• Sylvester Stallone – 48
• Drew Barrymore – 46
• David Pomeranz – 46

Names of foreign and Filipino bands were used as candidates in the party-list race, to stress that in actual elections voters pick an organization and not a person for the party list. The group, once it wins, will name its nominee to the House of Representatives.

By Comelec’s estimates, each voter took an average of almost 10 minutes to cast his vote in the mock polls.

In Quezon City, where the test voting was conducted in district 4, named congressional candidate was Sheila Cunanan with 23 votes.

For mayor, Melvin dela Cruz won. Names of Frederick Patpat and Dominic Oracoy were used.

For Quezon City vice mayor, Mylin Garcia won. Cherry Pineda clinched the membership in Sangguniang Panlungsod of NCR – Quezon City Fourth District. – Miriam Grace A. Go and Paterno Esmaquel II/Rappler.com