Ultimately, no special elections were carried out. Instead, on December 11, 2019, COMELEC — taking into account the September 10, 2019 Supreme Court ruling on the South Cotabato case (Vice Mayor Shirlyn L. Bañas-Nograles, et al. Vs. Commission on Elections) — adopted the recommendation of its legal department to direct the Special Provincial Board of Canvassers for the Province of Southern Leyte to count the votes cast in the May 2019 elections. Roger Mercado was certified as the duly elected representative on December 16, 2019 by the Southern Leyte Provincial Board of Canvassers, and took his oath as the representative of the Lone Congressional District the next day. The 1st and 2nd districts will begin electing their respective representatives starting in the 2022 elections.