VoteWatch: Tens of millions troop to polling sites in midterm elections

Metro Manila, Philippines - Tens of millions have chosen the country’s next set of national and local leaders through ballots cast on Monday, May 12, in an election held midway into the Marcos administration’s term.

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) opened polling sites at 5 a.m. for seniors, persons with disabilities, and pregnant women, while voting for the general public began at 7 a.m.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Vice President Sara Duterte were among the first officials who cast their votes as soon as the voting period opened.

Both leaders returned to their hometowns in Ilocos Norte and Davao to register their votes.

Marcos said he encountered a minor glitch while feeding his ballot into the automated counting machine and had to re-insert the ballot before it was accepted. https://www.newswatchplus.ph/news/2025/5/12/Marcos--Duterte-cast-votes-for-2025-midterm-polls.html

A number of voters have also raised concerns about sensitive ballots and invalidated votes because of ink smudges from shade marks. 

Throughout the election day, the Philippine National Police reported several incidents including an armed encounter in Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao del Norte which stalled the town’s voting period for five hours.

Polling sites officially closed at 7 p.m.

The Comelec said more than 68.6 million people are registered to vote on election day, which President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. declared as a special non-working holiday “to enable the people to properly exercise their right to vote.”

Voters have to choose 12 senatorial candidates and a party-list group for the House of Representatives.

Meanwhile, the local positions would have a district representative, a provincial governor and vice governor, sangguniang panlalawigan (provincial board) members, mayor and vice mayor, and sangguniang panlungsod (city or municipal board) members.

The Comelec launched its online precinct finder in April where voters can check their registration status before heading for their voting areas.

Members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Philippine National Police, and media practitioners on duty on election day have cast their votes during the absentee voting that ran from April 28 to 30.