18 May 2016 – The Philippine Consulate General in Honolulu (PCGH) registered a 30.41% voter turnout during the conduct of overseas absentee voting for the 2016 Philippine National Elections. 2,898 out of the 9,527 registered voters in Hawaii and American Samoa participated in the elections.

For this year’s elections, the Consulate General became one of the thirty 30 foreign service posts who were mandated by the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) to use the automated election system and mixed mode of voting. Registered voters in Hawaii, American Samoa, and French Polynesia were given the option to vote personally at the Consulate General by feeding their ballots in the vote counting machines (VCMs). Those who were unable to cast their ballot in person received their ballots through postal mail. Election period opened on April 09 and ended at 11:00 PM of May 08, which coincides with the close of the voting period in the Philippines.

During the 30-day voting period, PCGH conducted various activities aimed at increasing voter turn-out. Members of the Consulate’s Special Ballot Reception and Custody Group (SBRCG) held field voting in three areas: the islands of Maui and Hilo in Hawaii and in Tafuna in American Samoa, where a large population of Filipinos are concentrated. The Consulate likewise held information campaigns involving the Filipino community and members of the media to promote the 2016 elections. END