FAQ on Automated Election System
Q: How accurate is the computerized voting system insofar as counting of the votes are concerned?
A: According to the Election officers, it is 99.99%, because the counting is computer generated which does not need the intervention of man.
Q; Why is it that public school teachers are always the one who is to primarily manned election process?
A: Answers collected but are not limited to:
Disclaimer: This is only an opinion, this is without prejudice to other professions who claim otherwise.
a. There are more public school teachers than any other professions;
b. They are most known to people / voters than the others;
c. They have more patience than the others because of their wide experience in dealing with children or students;
d. They have the ability to effectively communicate more than the other profession because of the nature of their profession;
e. They are more credible, as theirs is the noblest profession;
f. They are more familiar with the voting places as it is normally held in the school premises;
g. They can easily cope up with instructions and give out instructions clearly because of their experience in teaching; and
h. Most of all, they are not likely to be easily influenced by our political candidates whether incumbents or not. As opposed to that of the other professions i.e., Local Government Units personnel, they could possibly be an easy prey of undue influence and or intimidation of the politicians whether candidates or incumbents because these personnel are virtually working in the same premises with them, which is in the municipal hall.
Q: Why is it that elections are always held in the public schools premises?
A: Reasons are the following, but are not limited to:
a. Because public schools are the most popular place in our locality;
b. It normally has a large vicinity which could possibly accommodate the voters as opposed to that of other places in our locality;
c. It has more rooms to occupy and could accommodate voters – basically, it has more facilities that could possibly be useful in the accomplishment of the election i.e., blackboards, chairs to name a few; and
d. It is a safer place, compared to others, if not the most.
Q: Will people be able to adapt the new system?
A: The Filipino way of exercising the freedom of expression has even reach its focal point and manifested in the peaceful form of EDSA revolution to topple the dictatorial government. Well, that was 25 years ago, and a lot of things have changed especially in the field of communication and technology. We are now in the new age of information technology. People everywhere are now being empowered by this new age technology. Corollary to this right is the right to vote, the right and freedom of an individual to exercise his suffrage. To combine both, to exercise suffrage and to take advantage of the new technology can be the easiest, fastest, most convenient and most satisfying because of the security it promised that it be 99.99% accurate and free from errors and frauds. However, we have to face the reality that this new technology is only applicable to those who are literates and have resources. What about those who are in the far flung areas where internet and computers are not available? The problem with online voting systems is that those who do not have knowledge or experience on using computers or others have not even seen one, would find hard and tedious to vote through this new system. This might discourage them and eventually lead to a lesser voter turnouts. Thereby being hindered from exercising their fundamental and basic right, to vote. The Solution, people must learn. These people need more time to learn. There should be a Voters Education Campaign insofar as the advancement of the new technology is concern. And to be able to freely exercise the right to vote they must dwell first on the prerequisite, which is to learn the complexities of the new technology.
FAQ on Voters’s Registration
Q: Who are qualified to vote?
A: a. those who are at least 18 years old;
b. 1 year residence in the Philippines;
c. 6 months residence in the place where in he proposes to vote
Q: Who are disqualified to vote?
a. those who are sentenced by final judgment to suffer imprisonment of not less than 1 year; or
b. adjudged by final judgment of a competent court; or
c. insane or incompetent persons as declared by competent authority.
Q: What must a qualified applicant do to register?
A:
1. A qualified applicant needs only to appear personally at the local COMELEC office.
2. The applicant’s identity and residence will be verified. (Bring a valid ID with photograph and signature.)
3. The applicant’s status of registration will also be verified. (NOTE: Your registration status may also be verified ehere.)
4. After the successful verification of the applicant’s identity, the applicant shall be given three (3) application form to fill up;
a. One for the Election Officer (with back-to-back printing);
b. One for the Provincial File; and
c. One for the Central file.
5. The applicant’s biometrics will then be digitally captured.
6. An acknowledgment Receipt will be given to the applicant afterwards.
Q: What are the kinds of ID’s that are allowed or acceptable?
A: a. Employee’s identification card (ID) with the signature of the employer or authorized representative;
b. Postal Id;
c. Students’ ID or Library card, signed by the school authority;
d. Senior Citizen’s ID;
e. Driver’s License;
f. NBI/PNP clearance;
g. Passport;
h. SSS/GSIS ID;
i. Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) ID;
j. License issued by the Professional Regulatory Commission (PRC); and
k. Any other valid ID.
Q: When is the schedule of registration?
A: Beginning May 3, 2011 to October 31, 2012
(Mondays – Saturdays including holidays)
During office hours, from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Q: Where?
A: At the office of the local COMELEC office where you reside
Q: What is the area of coverage of this registration?
A: All cities and municipalities, except the ARMM
Preventions on Election-related problems in the Automated Election System:
a. The Automated Election Bill in the Philippines requires that there should be a voter verifiable paper audit trail. – Bill 2231
This feature of the bill will reduce the incidents of vote buying and increase the security and credibility of the people’s votes. The voter verifiable audit trail enables the voters to review and edit their votes. On the same note the right amount of protection on the automated elections' software source code would prevent hackers on hacking on to the computers for counting and thus prevents the tampering on the number of votes;
b. To be sure that the automated election is without cheating is to test the technology itself beforehand;
c. It should be checked to know if it is efficient and if it works so prevent further delay;
d. Must have more people who are IT expert to be assigned in each precinct to act immediately whenever technology fails;
e. The voter should physically feed the ballot into the machine;
f. The OMR machines should not be equip with any kind of communication devices;
g. There should be 7 copies of ER to be sent to the different computers;
h. COMELEC would provide PC’s for the different parties so that they can follow the tabulation;
i. And the statement of the vote would be projected in each canvassing center so that the watchers can compare the totals.
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