268 members of the House of Representatives will elect in mock polls scheduled Monday their preferences for candidates who have expressed their intention to join the presidential and vice presidential derby next year.

Twice postponed as a result of the calamities that hit the country, the holding of the mock election was not commission by political group or individual. It was organized by the men and women behind the Ayes and Nays News Forum with the support of majority of reporters assigned in the Lower House.

Teachers from the Batasan High School and personnel of the Education and Information Division of the Commission on Elections will supervise the holding of the mock elections through secret balloting.

The Ayes and Nays, a news forum organized by several House reporters, said the rules and regulations governing the mock elections were distributed to participating solons last week.

Under the rules, voters will only check the box opposite the names of personalities who have the intention or were expected to either joining next year’s presidential or vice presidential as reported by media.

Voting will be held Monday and Tuesday from 4 to 7 p.m. at the rear entrance adjacent the session hall. Counting of ballots will be conducted during the Ayes and Nays News Forum and will be open to the public.

House leaders admitted that the election “is an independent exercise” not governed by congressional rules or any other government agency.

The idea of holding mock polls was raised by three senior House reporters to find out the veracity of the claim of a ranking official of the ruling Lakas-Kampi-CMD that a survey he conducted among congressmen showed that majority of them were leaning towards Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III of the Liberal Party.

Majority of the newsmen assigned in the Lower House hope that they can get the real pulse of all the 269 House members through mock elections to be conducted by them.

The House is composed of a multi-partisan group of congressmen believed to have already decided on which candidate to vote for in next year’s polls, including for president, vice president and senators.

A total 36 accredited House reporters supported the holding of secret mock elections while five decided not to participate.

Except for the list of presidential and vice presidential candidates and two authentication signatures, the ballots will not contain any other markings. This will ensure secrecy, organizers said.

Names of the candidates will be listed in alphabetical order and will include one popular name or nickname.

The presidential candidates are Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III; Sec. Hermogenes “Jun” Ebdane; Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero; former President Joseph “Erap” Estrada; Chairman Bayani “BF” Fernando; Sen. Richard “Dick” Gordon; Sen. Loren Legarda; Sen. Ma. Consuelo “Jamby” Madrigal; Sec. Gilbert “Gibo” Teodoro; Miguel “Bro. Mike” Velarde; Eduardo “Bro. Eddie” Villanueva and Sen. Manuel “Manny”Villar.