After the letter from Central Voting Bureau (CVB) Chairman Jason Rogers to Prime Minister Leona Romeo-Marlin and Parliament President William Marlin (see related story) there seems to be little choice: The already published national decree to dissolve the legislature per December 23 and hold snap elections on November 25 will have to be withdrawn and replaced by a new one that considers terms and requirements in not just the Constitution, but also the electoral ordinance and law on financing political parties enforced by the Electoral Council.
What’s more, CVB itself needs to add members, having recently lost two. In addition, there are doubts whether the Civil Registry would have enough time to prepare on such short notice.
Not allowing new or deregistered existing parties to participate because the deadline for such had already passed when the election was announced is undemocratic. Nomination Day on October 2 simply appears unfeasible, with the colours not assigned to the only four already-registered parties within the legal timeframe either.
It’s a bit disappointing that the outgoing UD/SMCP Council of Ministers and their legal advisors did not take these issues sufficiently into account. After all, this is not the first time the issue has come up.
Nevertheless, important now is to correct the error, and there are indications that will be done. One of the options said to be on the table is a revised decree setting the vote at January 13 with November 26 as Nomination Day and for the next Parliament to be installed on February 18.
This would address the concerns of CVB, the Electoral Council and groups planning to make use of their passive voting rights, plus qualifying citizens who may still want to register as voters. It will also give the interim NA-led cabinet being formed six more weeks in office, but is simply the right thing to do.
