#PHVote Guides: Where, when, and how to vote overseas

MANILA, Philippines – Overseas Filipinos will be the first to cast their votes in the high-stakes 2022 election during a monthlong period from April 10 to May 9.

They will choose their national candidates – president, vice president, senators, and party-list groups – ahead of the 65.7 million Filipinos who will go to their local polling precincts in the Philippines on May 9.

Over 1.6 million Filipinos are registered to vote overseas – a drop for the first time since overseas elections began in 2004. Hundreds of thousands of Filipinos returned to the Philippines due to displacement from the COVID-19 pandemic.

To confirm if you are a registered voter, check if your name is included on the Commission on Elections’ (Comelec) Certified List of Overseas Voters (CLOV).

Voters will either appear personally to vote at Philippine embassies, consulates, and other designated polling places (personal mode) or receive their ballots via post (postal mode). Voters cannot choose their preferred mode – you must check which mode your host country is conducting.

For areas conducting postal voting, the Philippine posts are supposed to mail the ballots to voters as soon as they receive them from the Comelec. Voters must accomplish and send their ballots immediately for them to make it back to the consular offices by May 9. This should be free of charge.

Aspiring voters who were not able to register will not be permitted to vote, as the registration period closed on October 14, 2021.

Rappler has compiled advisories from embassies and consular offices to help guide Filipino voters around the world. This page will be updated as more information comes in.

Asia Pacific

Hong Kong
- Where to vote:
  - Bayanihan Kennedy Town Centre, 55 Victoria Road, Kennedy Town
- When to vote:
  - April 10 to May 8 – 8 am to 5 pm
  - May 9 – 8 am to 7 pm
  - The consulate will remain open on Hong Kong and Philippine holidays
- How to vote: The Philippine consulate in Hong Kong will be conducting personal voting.
  - Go to Bayanihan Kennedy Town Centre. The consulate will follow a first come, first served system, with priority lane for seniors, PWDs, and pregnant voters.
  - Once at the venue, go to the Voter Search Section to find your precinct number.
  - Present your Philippine passport and/or Hong Kong ID.
  - Go to your designated precinct.
  - Follow COVID-19 protocols of the Hong Kong government.
- More details here.

Taiwan
- Where to vote:
  - MECO Taipei: 55 & 57 Zhouzi Street, Neihu District, Taipei
  - MECO Kaohsiung: 9F-2, Grand 50 Tower No. 80, Min Tzu 1st Road, Kaohsiung
- When to vote:
  - April 10 – 8 am to 4 pm
  - April 11 to May 8 – 9 am to 5 pm
  - May 9 – 9 am to 7 pm
  - No appointment needed
- How to vote: MECO will be conducting both personal and postal voting, depending on city/county. (Click here for more information)
  - Personal
    - Appear at MECO Taipei or MECO Kaohsiung.
    - Present your name and valid government-issued ID to the poll clerk to verify your name in the list of voters.
    - Go to the Special Board of Election Inspectors (SBEI) Chairman to retrieve your ballot. Check if the ballot has marks or tears.
    - Accomplish your ballot, following instructions on shading.
    - Upon accomplishing your ballot, feed your ballot into the vote-counting machine (VCM).
    - Wait for your voter-verified paper audit trail (VVPAT). Make sure the names appearing on the receipt match those you shaded on your ballot.
    - Drop your VVPAT into the receptacle.
  - Postal
    - For postal voting, ballots will be mailed to their voters’ respective mailing addresses. Voters must mail them back to the embassy as soon as possible.

Thailand
- Where and when to vote:
  - 8 am on April 10 to 6 pm on May 9, Bangkok time (including Philippine and Thai holidays)
  - The Philippine embassy in Bangkok will conduct mobile voting on the following dates, when voters may drop off completed ballots in sealed envelopes included in the mailing packets at designated drop boxes in the consular outreach mission:
    - April 10 – Phuket
    - April 23 – Hat Yai
    - April 30 – Chiang Mai
- How to vote:
  - The Philippine embassy will be conducting postal voting. Voters who indicated “c/o Embassy” in their address during the voter registration will claim ballots at the embassy or in consular outreaches, while those who indicated their addresses will receive their ballots via mail.
  - Click here for information on claiming ballots at the embassy.
  - Due to an “unexpected delay” of delivery of official ballots to Bangkok, voters in Phuket, Sarat Thani, Krabi, and Phang-nga may claim their ballots during the consular outreach mission at the Novoted Phuket on April 10 from 8 am to 6 pm.
    - Present the following:
      - Original and photocopy of valid Philippine passport, Voters’ ID, or seafarers’ book
      - CLOV sequence number that corresponds to your name. (Refer to the Thailand CLOV here.)
  - Representatives who will claim ballots for a voter must present an authorization letter including the name of the representative and signed by the registered voter, and original and photocopy of the representative’s valid Philippine ID. Representatives are not allowed to cast votes for voters.
  - Accomplished ballots must be done at the voters’ own time, and away from the consular outreach venue. There will be no voting area at the venue.
  - Voters may drop off accomplished ballots at the designated dropbox at the venue until 6 pm of April 10, or sent to the Philippine embassy in Bangkok via mail.
  - Voters opting to mail their ballots are advised to do so not later than May 2, to ensure the embassy receives them by 6 pm on May 9.
  - Ballots will be fed into vote-counting machines on April 11, 14, 18, 21, 25, 28, and May 2 to 9.

Singapore
- Where to vote:
  - Philippine Embassy, 20 Nassim Road, Singapore 258395
- When to vote:
  - April 10 – 8 am to 6 pm
  - April 11 to May 8 – 9 am to 6 pm
  - May 9 – 9 am to 7 pm
- How to vote: The Philippine embassy in Singapore will be conducting personal voting.
  - Fill up the online pre-verification system. Make sure your name is on the CLOV, and verify if all your information is correct.
  - Wait for a confirmation email. Avoid making repeat requests.
  - Read the instructions on the confirmation email carefully.
  - Things to bring to the embassy:
    - Valid Philippine passport
    - Ballpoint pen
    - List of your candidates
    - Face mask
    - Screenshot or printed copy of the confirmation email
  - Scan the QR code or use your SafeEntry Check-in token before entering the embassy.
  - Those who have completed the pre-verification before going to the embassy may go to their assigned precincts. Present your valid Philippine passport to the Electoral Board (EB).
  - Walk-in voters must go to the Voters’ Verification Desk for verification and their precinct number.
  - Get your ballot, ballot secrecy folder, and marking pen from the EB and go to the voting area.
  - Accomplish your ballot, following instructions on shading.
  - Upon accomplishing your ballot, feed your ballot into the vote-counting machine (VCM).
  - Wait for your voter-verified paper audit trail (VVPAT). Make sure the names appearing on the receipt match those you shaded on your ballot.
  - Drop your VVPAT into the receptacle.
  - Avoid loitering around the embassy.
  - More details: https://www.facebook.com/PHinSingapore/posts/346282980857970
- Contact details for concerns:
  - Concerns related to the CLOV or voters’ registration: ov.concerns@comelec.gov.ph
  - Concerns related to pre-verification or voting in Singapore: oav2020.sgpe@gmail.com

Europe

Madrid
- Where to vote: Philippine embassy in Spain, Calle Guadalquivir, 6, 28002, Madrid
- When to vote (personal voting):
  - April 10 – 8 am to 4 pm
  - April 11 to May 8 – 9 am to 5 pm, including weekends and public holidays
  - May 9 – 9 am to 1 pm
- How to vote:
  - Voters based in Madrid and Barcelona will be doing personal voting, while all other voters outside the two cities will be voting via mail.
  - For personal voting, bring any of the following: valid Philippine passport, identification certificate (for dual citizens), or valid voter’s ID issued by the Comelec
  - For postal voting, ballots will be mailed to their voters’ respective mailing addresses. Voters must mail them back to the embassy as soon as possible.

Barcelona
- Where to vote: Office of the Philippine Consulate General, Rambla de Catalunya, 33 Planta Principal, 08007 Barcelona, Spain
- When to vote (personal voting):
  - April 10 – 8 am to 4 pm
  - April 11 to May 8 – 9 am to 5 pm (including weekends and public holidays)
  - May 9 – 9 am to 1 pm
- How to vote: Voters based in Barcelona and Madrid will be doing personal voting, while all other voters outside the two cities will be voting via mail.
  - For personal voting, bring any of the following: valid Philippine passport, identification certificate (for dual citizens), or valid voter’s ID issued by the Comelec
  - For postal voting, ballots will be mailed to their voters’ respective mailing addresses. Voters must mail them back to the embassy as soon as possible.

London
- When to vote: April 10 to May 9
- How to vote: The Philippine embassy in London, which covers the United Kingdom, Northern Ireland, Ireland, Isle of Man, Bailiwick of Jersey, and Bailiwick of Guernsey, will be conducting postal voting.
  - Personally going to the embassy to claim a ballot is not allowed as voting will only be done via mail although voters may choose to drop their ballot at the embassy.
  - For those who need to update their mailing addresses, click here for instructions.
  - The Philippine embassy in London identified 19 voters who must either collect their respective ballots at the embassy, or submit their complete address to londonpe.voting@gmail.com. Check if you are one of them here.
  - If you are on the CLOV but do not receive your ballot by April 9
  - , send an email to londonpe.voting@gmail.com
  - Voters who wish to personally drop off their accomplished ballots are encouraged to do so during the voting period, April 10 to May 9, from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm, with no need to set an appointment. The embassy will be closed on Philippine and British public holidays.
  - If you are unable to mail your accomplished ballot, and cannot come to the embassy yourself, someone else may submit your ballot for you.
  - More details here.

Middle East

United Arab Emirates
- Where to vote:
  - Philippine Embassy in the United Arab Emirates, W-48, Street No. 8, Sector 2-23, Plot 51, Al Qubaisat 3215 Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
- When to vote:
  - April 10 – 9 am to 4 pm
  - April 11 to May 8 – 7:30 am to 3:30 pm
  - May 9 – 7 am to 3 pm
  - The embassy will remain open on Maundy Thursday and Good Friday (April 14-15) for the elections only.
- How to vote:
  - The Philippine embassy in UAE will be conducting personal voting.
  - Things to bring:
    - Original or photocopy of valid ID (Emirates ID, passport, or any government-issued ID)
  - Avoid campaigning for your chosen candidates and voting at the last minute.
  - Comelec has provided five VCMs for the United Arab Emirates (embassy and Philippine Overseas Labor Offices). Voters may expect some waiting time.

Saudi Arabia
- Where and when to vote:
  - Philippine Embassy in Riyadh, Diplomatic Quarter, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
    - April 10 to May 8
      - 8 am to 5 pm every day, including weekends and holidays. 9 am to 6 pm during Ramadan
    - May 9 – 8 am to 2 pm
  - International Philippine School in Al Khobar, P.O. Box 4839, Al-Khobar 31952
    - April 10 to May 8
      - 2 pm to 10 pm on weekdays, including holidays
      - 8 am to 5 pm on Friday to Saturday, including holidays
    - May 9 – 8 am to 2 pm
  - Philippine International School in Buraidah, Qaseem District, Al Fayziyyah
    - April 10 to May 8
      - 2 pm to 10 pm on Monday to Tuesday
      - 8 am to 10 pm on Friday
    - May 9 – 8 am to 2 pm
  - Embassy-on-Wheels in Hafar Al Batin
    - April 15 – 8 am to 10 pm
    - April 16 – 8 am to 12 pm
  - Embassy-on-Wheels in Al Jouf
    - April 22 – 8 am to 10 pm
    - April 23 – 8 am to 12 pm
  - Embassy-on-Wheels in Ha’il
    - April 29 – 8 am to 10 pm
    - April 30 – 8 am to 12 pm
  - Embassy-on-Wheels in Al Ahsa
    - May 6 – 8 am to 10 pm
    - May 7 – 8 am to 12 pm
  - Overseas voters who wish to vote in a different voting venue from where they are registered may email a request to overseasvoting2022@riyadhpe.com. Attach a copy of your passport’s information page, and indicate your place of registration and where you wish to vote. Requests are subject to approval of the Comelec.
- How to vote:
  - The Philippine embassy in Saudi Arabia will be conducting personal voting. Appear at your designated polling center.
  - More details here.

Africa

Egypt
- Where to vote: Building 11, Street 215, Sarayat Maadi, Cairo
- When to vote:
  - April 10 to May 8 – 8 am to 4 pm
  - May 9
  - – 8 am to 1 pm
- How to vote:
  - Voters based in Egypt will undergo personal voting at the Philippine embassy in Cairo. Meanwhile, ballots will be mailed to voters in Ethiopia, Djibouti, Sudan, and Eritrea.

South Africa
- When to vote: April 10 to May 9
- How to vote:
  - The Philippine embassy in Pretoria will be conducting postal voting.
  - Voters may opt to pick up their ballots or have them mailed by answering this form by April 10
  - Voters may email election-related questions to pretoriape.ov2022@gmail.com

North America

United States of America
- When to vote: April 10 to May 9
  - Only ballots received before May 9, 7 am Eastern Time will be counted.
- How to vote:
  - The Philippine embassy and all its consulates in the US will be conducting postal voting.
  - The embassy and consulates will send registered overseas voters election packets via mail to their registered mailing addresses. There is no need to request the embassy to mail your ballot.
  - Accomplished ballots must be mailed back to the Philippine posts as soon as possible. They can also be dropped off at the mailboxes located at the embassy.

Canada
- When to vote: April 10 to May 9
- How to vote:
  - The Philippine embassy in Ottawa, as well as its consulates in Calgary, Toronto, and Vancouver will be conducting postal voting.
  - The embassy and consulates will send registered overseas voters election packets via mail to their registered mailing addresses.
  - Accomplished ballots must be mailed back to the Philippine posts as soon as possible.
  - Registered voters who changed their address or moved after the registration period may inform the embassy of their new address.

Pacific islands (US territories)
- When to vote: April 10 to May 9
- How to vote:
  - The Philippine consulate in Agana, which covers voters in Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Palau, and Wake Islands, will be conducting postal voting.
  - Voters have two options to claim their ballot packets:
    - Option 1: Personally pick-up ballot packets at the consulate at Suite 601, ITC Bldg, 590 S. Marine Corps. Dr. Tamuning from 8:30 am to 5:30 pm from April 10 to 17. Present an ID upon claiming.
    - Option 2: Wait for ballot packets to arrive in the mail. All ballot packets left unclaimed after April 17 will be mailed on April 18.

Latin America

Brazil
- When to vote: April 10 to May 9
- How to vote:
  - The Philippine embassy in Brasilia will be conducting postal voting.
  - Ballots will be mailed to voters. Voters are encouraged to accomplish and send the ballots back as soon as possible.
  - Ballot packets will contain a return address which voters can use to mail their ballots back to the embassy.

– with reports from Angel Ty/Rappler.com