TWENTY-ONE of the 31 local government units (LGUs) in Negros Occidental have requested for the early delivery of official ballots and supplies for the May 9 elections.Lawyer Robert Salazar, provincial election officer, said these localities are Bacolod City, Calatrava, Don Salvador Benedicto, Escalante City, San Carlos City, Toboso, Cadiz City, Sagay City, E.B. Magalona, Murcia, Victorias City, Binalbagan, Himamaylan City, Hinigaran, Isabela, Moises Padilla, Cauayan, Hinoba-an, Ilog, Kabankalan City and Sipalay City.Salazar said the rules specify that the distribution of official ballots, forms and other election paraphernalia to the voting centers is on Election Day.But he said a resolution from the Commission on Elections (Comelec) allows for the early delivery of supplies and forms.Salazar said most of the barangays with early deliveries of election supplies and forms are in Cauayan, 25. Moises Padilla and Hinoba- an had the least with one barangay each.Among the reasons they cited is the volume of supplies they need, Salazar said, adding that “it is a practical reason as precincts open at 6 a.m. on election day.”“We have ordered our election officers to coordinate with their city and municipal treasurers to conduct ballot verification to ensure that the ballots delivered are for specific precincts,” he said.Ballots and vote counting machines are precinct-specific, he stressed, adding that the ballots assigned to a precinct cannot be used in other precincts.