A short Primer on May 2007 Senatorial and Party-List Elections

From the Philippine Embassy Bonn Extension Office, came
today, this mail with A Short Primer regarding the
May 14, 2007 Senatorial and Party-List Elections
for Overseas Absentee Voting

1) When is the election? 14 May 2007
2) For what positions is the Election in May 2007 conducted?
(12) Senators and Party-List Representatives
3) Who are entitled to vote? All Filipino nationals who
are Registered Overseas Absentees Voters (i.e. their
names appear in the Certified List of Overseas Absentee
Voters or CLOAV)
4) How do I know if I am a duly registered overseas absentee
voter in Bonn? You may check if your name is listed in
the 2007 Certified List of Overseas Absentee Voters
(CLOAV) available at the official Comelec website
www.comelec.gov.ph. Or you may call the Philippine
Embassy Bonn Extension Office. The CLOAV is also
posted at the Embassy.
5) When is the voting period for overseas absentee voters
in Germany? From 14 April to 14 May 2007.
6) Who are the candidates for Senators and Party-List
Representatives? The official list of candidates for
Senators and Party-list Representatives are posted
in the Comelec website mentioned above. It is also posted
at the Embassy and will also be provided by Comelec
in the electoral mails to be sent to individual voters.
7) What is a Party-List Representation? It is a system of
representation that was put in place to enable small
political parties and marginalized and underrepresented
sectors in society to have chance to participate in the
work of the Legislature, i.e. House of Representatives.
Only the name of the sectoral party, group or organization
shall be written by the voter on the space provided for
party-list representative in the ballot.
8)What is the mode of voting in Germany?
Postal voting, which means voters can now fill out their
ballots at home and send them to the Embassy via mail.
If they wish, they may also bring and submit personally
their filled out ballots to the Embassy.
9) How will voters be able to cast their vote under the new
system of postal voting? Voters will receive a mailing/packet
envelope from Comelec that contains the ballots and the
envelopes to seal/deliver the ballots. It also contains the
Certified List of Candidates for Senator and Party-List Groups
or Organization as well as instructions which provide the
step-by-step procedues on how voter will be able to cast
his/her vote.
When is the opening time of the Embassy Extension Office
in Bonn for those who want to personally get and/or submit
their accomplished ballot? From 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM
(from Monday to Friday, including Saturdays, Sundays and
holidays during the period of election.)

When is the last day and time for submission of ballots at the
Philippine Embassy Bonn Extension Office in order for them
to be considered valid and included for counting?
The ballot must be received by the Embassy not later than
3:00PM (Philippine time) on 14 May 2007 (i.e. 9:00 AM
German time) in order that they may be considered as valid
and be included for conting. Ballots submitted after the
cut-0ff time will be automatically considered as invalid.

For further information: Please call the Philippine
Embassy Bonn Extension Office at telephone
0228.267990 or email:bonn-eo@philippine-embassy.de
pebonneo@yahoo.com