Youth leaders led by Kabataan party-list Representative Raymond Palatino trooped to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Tuesday seeking to extend the voter’s registration until December, but this was quickly rejected by the poll body. Palatino said Comelec should move back the registration deadline to its original date, December 15, instead of October 15 to ensure eligible voters, especially first-timers, would be able to enlist for the 2010 national elections. The Comelec has moved the cut-off date to October to allow its project management office and technology provider Smartmatic and Total Information Management (TIM) enough time to print the ballots, which will be customized per town to contain pre-printed names of local and national candidates. But Palatino argued it would be difficult to allow at least three million first time voters to sign up for the polls, saying each Comelec registration office could only accommodate 200 people per day. Palatino urged new voters to visit the 1 Milyon, 1 Panata (1 Million, 1 Pledge), to get 2010 election updates and learn the requirements for first time registrants.
