Imagine wading through a crowd and falling in line at the polling precinct on election day, only to find out that your name is no longer on the list of voters. 

We’re not talking about a voter’s name being transferred to another precinct in the same locality. We mean voter registration being deactivated for any of the following reasons:

• Voter is sentenced in a final court ruling to be imprisoned for at least one year.
• Voter is convicted of rebellion, coup d’ etat, inciting to sedition, or rebellion with finality.
• Voter is declared to be “insane or incompetent” by competent authority. 
• Voter failed to vote in two successive preceding regular elections.
• Voter lost his or her Filipino citizenship.
• Voter is excluded by a court order.
• Voter failed to validate his or her registration, which means his or her biometrics weren’t captured.

How to confirm if your voter registration has been deactivated

Comelec’s voter care center says those who want to verify their voter registration status may do so in two ways:

• Call Comelec’s Information Technology Department (ITD) at 8527-9365 or 8526-7769.
• Directly inquire with the Office of the Election Officer in their district, city, or municipality.

Steps and requirements for the reactivation of voter’s registration

You do not need to register as a new voter. You only need to apply for the reactivation of your records.

1. Answer the application form.

Fill out an application form called the CEF-1, which can be downloaded from the Commission on Elections (Comelec) website. You can also get the form physically from the election officer of your city or municipality.

If you are going to print the form, make sure that it is printed on an 8” x 13” paper and printed back to back. 

Shade the oval beside the “APPLICATION FOR REACTIVATION OF REGISTRATION RECORD.” 

Indicate the reason why your voter registration was deactivated.

If the reason stated is not because you failed to vote in the past two regular elections or that you failed to validate your registration, you are required to submit a court order or certification that proves the ground for deactivation is no longer valid.

If you are a person with disability or a senior citizen, fill out Annex B or the “supplementary data form.” 

All applicants also need to fill out and submit a health declaration form because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The application form for voter reactivation can also be accomplished through the iRehistro website. This does not mean, however, that you are registered automatically. 

Do not sign the application forms at home. You need to sign it in front of the election officer in your local Comelec office.

2. Submit the application form and required documents to the local Comelec office.

Submit your completed application for registration and other necessary documents to your local Comelec office or the Office of the Election Officer (OEO). 

If you’re not sure where to find the office nearest you, check the Comelec website for details of its Metro Manila and city/municipality offices. 

Applications for reactivation of voter’s registration may be filed at local Comelec offices from Monday to Friday, and at satellite registration offices every Saturday, from 8 am to 5 pm. Voter registration will run until September 30, 2021.

The poll body reminds the public to contact their local Comelec office ahead of time since OEOs are closed during disinfection days prescribed by local government units. Satellite registration schedules may also vary per locality.

Bring a valid identification document to prove your identity. These valid IDs may include any of the following: 

• Employee’s ID with employer’s signature 
• Postal ID 
• PWD ID 
• Student’s ID or a library card, signed by school authority 
• Senior citizen’s ID 
• Driver’s license
• NBI clearance
• Passport
• SSS/GSIS ID 
• Integrated Bar of the Philippines ID 
• License issued by the Professional Regulatory Commission
• For indigenous peoples or members of indigenous cultural communities, a certificate of confirmation from the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples 
• Any other valid ID 

Police clearance and cedulas are not accepted. 

According to Comelec, in the event that an applicant is not in possession of any of the valid IDs, he or she “may be identified under oath by any registered voter of the precinct where he/she intends to be registered, or by any of his/her relatives within the fourth civil degree of consanguinity or affinity.”

Once you have submitted your application form, the Comelec’s voter registration machine will capture your biometrics, including your photo, fingerprints, and signature. 

The Comelec officer will give you an acknowledgment receipt that shows you have successfully filed your application for reactivation. Do not lose this small document. 

How to confirm if your registration is successfully reactivated

The Election Registration Board needs to approve your application before your voter registration is reactivated. The ERB deliberates applications during its quarterly meetings, which happen on the third Monday of April, July, October, and January of every calendar year.

Once your application is approved, the local election officer will include your registration in the book of voters in your locality. 

If you want to verify the status of your registration, you can call Comelec’s Information Technology Department (ITD) at 8527-9365 or 8526-7769, according to the poll body’s voter care center.

You can also directly inquire with the Office of the Election Officer in your district, city, or municipality two to three weeks after an ERB hearing scheduled after you submitted your registration.

If you have any other questions regarding voter registration, visit Comelec’s official website, or reach out to Comelec on Facebook. You may also send an email to the Election and Barangay Affairs Department at ebad@comelec.gov.ph or call (02) 8525-9298 or 0927 559 5926.

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