Philippines' First Automated Elections By Crissy Taruc on - Updated Oct 15, 2011
The Philippines will have its first ever automated election this May 2010. After long time of arguments and examinations by both House of Representatives and the Senate a law has been passed automating the 2010 Elections. Are the Filipino people ready for this techie thing election? Or moreover thus the government and the Commission on Election (COMELEC) can ensure the voting public that this automated election will not failed and yield an honest result?
Voters are of mixed feelings about the automated 2010 Elections. For others who are not understandable of modern technology, are afraid that it might be hard for them and that they might do it the wrong way. Others (who has the know-how) fear and question not the voting itself but the capabilities of the machines and other technical concerns that can damage the election.
There are other fears and questions and as the mock elections being performed by the COMELEC in some places, few hitches have been found. There are places where Precinct Count Optical Scan or PCOS rejected the ballots for various reasons. A ballot jammed the PCOS machine in one area and in the other area there is a temporary failure of transmittal.
As a Filipino and as a registered voter I am for an automated election. It is high time that we automate our elections BUT with utmost care and preparedness. The COMELEC must at peace the public that there is still time to educate them very well on what are the dos and don'ts in the voting process. That they have Plan ABC for whatever technical and mechanical malfunctions that might happen.
I do understand the worries and fears of my fellow countrymen with the coming automated 2010 Elections. But there is already a law automating our 2010 Elections and I believe that each and every one of us (government, COMELEC, politicians, tri-media, voters) must work hand in hand to make the coming elections possible, clean and successful. As early as now, aside from thinking of who to vote for let us also keep ourselves informed of what and not to do as we vote. We had enough of the cheating and manipulation of a manual election.
Let us all exercise our right to vote and let us do it with utmost care and diligence. Such a power of ours comes once in a blue moon but it is powerful enough to bring big change to our country.
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The U.S. has had automated elections for awhile, but the machines aren't perfect. They are programmed by humans, and as the old saying goes, "Garbage in, garbage out". If they are programmed perfectly with the correct candidates name in the correct party affiliation, they can work perfectly in the tabulated election results.
I remember what it was like when Bush and Gore were competing against each other and they had the counting debacle in Florida. Automation isn't always good; it probably produces more errors in the long run. I hope it goes well for your country.
Automated machines are only as good as the people operating them. They do make life a little easier for most, but they are not infallible.
@Alexsandralyn, jenniferclaerr & lynnemg: I'm hoping and really praying hard that this computerize election in my country will not bring chaos among people.. the fear of cheating and manipulation is really nerve-breaking..
automated election is I think very timely for the Philippines if its implemented properly