Philippines' First Online Voting System Sees Disappointing Turnout

The Philippine Commission on Elections (Comelec) recently conducted its first-ever internet voting system for overseas Filipinos during the 2025 midterm elections. However, the results were far from encouraging, with a dismal turnout of only 19%. This translates to approximately 240,000 voters out of a registered 1.22 million. A Comelec spokesperson stated, "While we anticipated some challenges in this pioneering effort, the low turnout is certainly a concern that requires a thorough review and improvement of the system for future elections." In contrast, traditional voting methods, such as in-person voting at embassies and consulates or mail-in ballots, showed a slightly better turnout at 32.43%, with around 21,000 voters using these methods. The low participation rate raises questions about the accessibility and effectiveness of the online voting system and the need for improvements to increase voter engagement in future elections. The Comelec has pledged to analyze the data and address the issues to ensure greater participation in future online voting initiatives.