Comelec Halts Ballot Printing for 2025 Midterm Elections Due to Supreme Court Orders

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has put a halt to the printing of ballots for the upcoming May 2025 midterm elections following temporary restraining orders (TROs) issued by the Supreme Court. The decision came after the court intervened in five election-related cases, affecting the eligibility of candidates for the polls. Comelec Chair George Garcia and other officials had initially commenced the printing process at the National Printing Office in Quezon City on January 6, but the operation was suspended on January 14 in compliance with the court’s directives. Although the Comelec has not yet received official copies of the TROs, it has committed to fully adhere to the orders. The suspension includes stopping all related activities at the printing office and making necessary adjustments to the Candidates’ Database, Election Management System, Automated Counting Machine, and Consolidation and Canvassing System. Additionally, the Comelec will regenerate 1,667 ballot face templates and adjust candidate numbering. An inventory of all printed ballots, including those for various special voting categories, will be conducted, totaling around 6 million ballots. The Comelec also plans to study whether changes to the Election Management System and Candidates’ Database will require another Trusted Build. All affected ballots will be reprinted once the necessary updates are implemented, and the costs and wastages, including personnel wages and materials, will be accounted for. The Trusted Build for the Online Voting and Counting System has been rescheduled, and mock elections originally planned for January 18 have been canceled and rescheduled. Despite the delays and costs, the Comelec respects the Supreme Court’s decision and assures the public that it remains in control and will implement contingency measures to manage the situation. The Supreme Court issued the TROs in response to cases involving nuisance candidates, disqualified senatorial candidates, and a rejected certificate of candidacy. The Comelec has been directed to submit comments on these cases and had begun printing nearly 73 million ballots for the elections on January 6.