There were almost 300,000 precincts in previous elections; today clustered precincts are down to 76,000. This, plus the voters’ unfamiliarity with the new voting system, has slowed the voting process. The result is long lines in voting centers with voters having to wait for two to three hours before being able to cast their votes. It is feared that the slow pace of voting will disenfranchise many.
The Commission on Elections has decided to extend voting hours by one hour in response to the complaints of voters but teachers who are manning the precincts believe that the one-hour extension is not enough to accommodate all. Many disgruntled voters who waited in line for several hours, especially those who couldn’t bear the heat (temperature in Manila today is 34 degrees Celsius), have already left the polling centers without voting. The slow system will definitely affect voter turnout in many areas.
The poll body has already appealed to voters to be more patient and understanding and it reminded the public about the need for sacrifice in order to make the elections successful.
Another cause of delay in the voting process is the manual verification of voter identity. Complaints are pouring in about the exclusion of many voters in the official list of those eligible. People who registered during the extended voter registration period last December couldn’t find their names on the master list. More than 200,000 potential first time voters registered last December. In Makati City, residents whose homes were evicted a few years ago also couldn’t locate their names in the voting centers. Meanwhile, there are reports that names of dead voters are still listed in some precincts.
Earlier, the poll body admitted that more than 300 machines malfunctioned in today’s elections. This problem can be immediately remedied because there are 6000 additional machines which can be instantly deployed to problem areas. But based on Twitter and media reports, it seems the bigger problem of the poll body is how to minimize or even prevent the large scale disenfranchisement of voters due to slow voting, delayed elections and inaccurate voter listing.
AZZAM ABDULMALIK
Shariff Aguak, Maguindanao – Highly commendable performance of AFP especially 6th ID headed by MGen. Alcantara and Col Carreon, Task Force Hope headed by Gen. Bernardo, 29IB headed by LtCol Arebalo, 45IB headed by LtCol Ponio, and all operating units in Maguindanao for maintaining a very peaceful, orderly and possibly credible elections.
Elvin T. Oliveros
The computerization of our election inspite to the glitches, protests, fears that it was logistically impossible to implement it due to a very tight schedule, in my observation, our Election 2010, overall, I will rate it from a scale of 1-10 – I’ll say “9″. It was a laudable undertaking to stop the rampant cheating of the old system & I admire the resiliency & patient of the teachers who acted as BEI for COMELEC & volunteers of PPCRV. But I have an observation on the procedures which COMELEC have instructed the BEIs, the teachers who manned the precinct–on the identification & verification of each individual registrant voters. It was time consuming & tedious, the delay have caused disenfranchisement of voters, who for some can not withstand the long lines under the heat of the sun & left without exercising their right to vote. When the precinct started at 7:00AM, I took note of the number of registrant voters who were able to vote on a first come – first serve basis. After I got my priority number (345), I inquired what was the number being served, it was 61 and I timed it at 10:00AM & I decided to leave to make use of the time to take my lunch & rest for awhile and I estimated to return at around 2:00PM which I hope by this time my number will be called. To my dismay, I found that the BEI was serving No. 120, so from 10:00AM to 2:00PM, that is 4 hours have passed, the BEI have served 60 registrant voters only & with 4 hrs. left as the precinct will close at 6:00PM how can they served with the remaining 1,000+ registrant voters all waiting for their turns which I thought was impossible even when COMELEC announced to extend the time to vote to 7:00PM (a 1 hr. extension) which is still impossible. I’ve to report the matter to the City COMELEC Registrar Office & they already have received call of complaint of our precinct (0534A – Bongbongon Elem. School, Kauswagan). They have to change the procedures & allowed voters to vote as soon as the seats were vacant & so the lines started to move and when my number was called I was able to cast my votes but how many voters before who were not able to vote because of the tedious & delay procedure on the identification & verification instructed by COMELEC for the BEIs to follow. I hope come next election this procedures will be corrected or adjusted so the BEIs can facilitate the make the casting of the votes fast. It is understandable that this automation of the election 2010 was first in the history of Philippine election, let’s not repeat this come next election & let this be a learning experience to improve so we will have a fast, accurate & credible election for a better future for the next generation of Filipinos.