Almost eight million individuals have submitted their applications to become voters in next year’s elections, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said on Tuesday.

“As of September 25, the number of applications filed totaled to 7,994,821,” Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez said in a press briefing during the fifth day of the filing of certificates of candidacy (COCs) for national positions at the Sofitel Harbor Garden Tent in Pasay City.

The number is almost double the poll body’s target of four million new registrants for next year’s polls.

Voter registration activities nationwide are currently suspended, to give way to the eight-day COC filing period for aspirants in national and local positions.

The voter registration will resume on October 11 and will run until October 30 in all Offices of Election Officer and satellite registration sites from Mondays to Fridays, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The Comelec has extended the original September 30 voter registration deadline in response to calls from various sectors and the public to enable more Filipinos to vote in next year’s polls.

Voter registration activities in areas under enhanced community quarantine and modified ECQ were also suspended to curb the spread of the coronavirus Delta variant.