The unofficial results of the 2025 midterm polls may be out ''around 8:30 pm, maybe not even past 9 pm'', the Commission on Election (Comelec) said.

In a radio interview on Sunday, Comelec Chairman George Erwin Garcia said the unofficial results of the election may be out "around 8:30 pm, maybe not even past 9 pm".

Garcia said that the quick transmission of the unofficial results is due to the fast printing of election returns and fast transmission of votes with the use of 5G technology and Star Links in areas that have signal difficulties.

"The unofficial results of the votes will be known for the first time as we have transmission from the precinct to the PPCRV (Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting), Namfrel (National Citizens' Movement for Free Elections), majority party, minority party, and media. They have their own servers and therefore they will have their own pre-count", Garcia added.

However, the target of early unofficial results will still depend if there are voters in line within 30 minutes of the precinct that will still be allowed to vote despite the cut off time of 7 pm.

The May 2025 midterm polls will see the use of the new automated counting machines provided by South Korean service provider, Miru Systems.

Garcia said unofficial poll results may be viewed in the Comelec website in "real time".

"They are not summed up in total as we have to wait for the official canvassed results," he said.

Over 68 million voters are expected to vote on May 12. Voting hours are open from 7 am to 7 pm with senior citizens, persons with disability (PWD), and pregnant women may vote as early as 5 am.

There are 93,287 clustered precincts located in 37,528 voting centers.

A total of 18,255 elective posts are set to be elected, including 12 senators and 63 party-list representatives.

Also to be elected are 254 district representatives, 82 governors, 82 vice governors, 840 provincial board members, 1,642 mayors, 1,642 vice mayors, and 13,638 councilors.

There are a total 66 candidates for senator and 155 party-list organizations, with each group having 10 party-list nominees.

Running are 615 congressional candidates, 231 gubernatorial beys, 198 vice gubernatorial bets, 1,661 provincial board member candidates, 3,767 mayoral bets, 3,485 vice mayoral candidates, and 31,385 candidates for councilor. Marie Manalili/DMS