The length of the ballot to be used for the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) caused the delay in the printing of the official ballots for the forthcoming May 10 polls, the Commission on Elections said Monday.

The poll body also issued guidelines for the conduct of the election campaign, which officially begins today for those vying for national positions, as well as the guidelines for partisan political activities as defined under Republic Act 9006, the Fair Election Practices Act.

Comelec Commissioner Gregorio Larrazabal said since the ARMM ballot is two inches longer than the ballot that will be used in other parts of the country, they have to do some recalibration of the printing machines and the paper cutters, causing some delays.

“(Ballots in the) ARMM area is 27 inches long because of the Arabic translation. There were some adjustments that had to be made, some calibration because the (regular) ballot is shorter than that,” he said.

Larrazabal said they decided to print the ARMM ballots first because of the previous proposal to hold early voting in the predominantly Muslim region.

The poll official, however, clarified that the printing machines of the National Printing Office actually began rolling last Sunday but the machines’ calibration at that time has yet to be made final.

“Usually during first day they really do some calibration so it will be smooth afterwards,” said Larrazabal.

Those that have been printed last Sunday, he said, will no longer be used and will be disposed based on standard Comelec procedures.

Although twice delayed, Larrazabal said the printing of the ballots already started Monday.

The Comelec is set to print some 50,723,734 ballots, the same exact number of registered voters as of last month.

Meanwhile, the poll body has also issued guidelines for the conduct of the election campaign, which officially begins today for those vying for national positions, as well as the guidelines for partisan political activities as defined under Republic Act 9006, the Fair Election Practices Act.

The 20-page guidelines, contained in Comelec en banc Resolution 8758, define what are allowed and prohibited during the campaign period, including the use and employment of press, radio and television facilities and the placement of political advertisements.

Under the guidelines, the Comelec is required to supervise the placement of political advertisements in publications, radio, and television to ensure that candidates are given equal opportunities to promote their bids.

Election propaganda, whether on free or cable television, radio, newspaper or any other medium, are allowed for all registered political parties, national, regional and sectoral parties or organizations participating under the party-list system subject to the limitation on authorized expenses of candidates, political parties, and party-list groups, organizations or coalition.

For candidates for President and Vice President, the authorized expenditure is P10 per registered voter. Other candidates with political party and those without support from any political party can only spend P3 for every voter registered in the constituency where he filed his certificate of candidacy.

Campaigning is prohibited on April 1 (Maundy Thursday), April 2 (Good Friday), May 9 (eve of Election Day), and May 10 (Election Day).

A mass media columnist, commentator, announcer, reporter, on air correspondent, or personality who is a candidate for any elective public office will also be deemed resigned or will take a leave of absence from work during the campaign period.