Only four more days left before the presidential election, the first time in history where the controversial automated polling system will be utilized. Do you already know what to do with your sensitive ballots? If you still have doubts, and you feel you are not yet “trained” or “informed” enough to to fill out the ballots, read ahead as we have posted important tips about ballot handling. (Special thanks to Tita Syl Carpio-Ilao of Pandacan Hikers Club, Inc for forwarding the info to us!)
Read the rest after the jump ….
Valuable Tips On the May 10, 2010 ballot
- Clean Hands – the ballot is very, very sensitive to marks, ink, H20, stains, scratches, folds, sweat, etc. If, say, you have grime on your hands, or your hands are wet, or your sweat drips onto the ballot, the PCOS (Precinct Count Optical Scan) Unit will not read it. So, keep your hands very clean before voting. That is why the indelible ink will be put on your finger after you’re done voting, and not before, and why you will be given your ballot in a folder, a “Ballot Secrecy Folder”, so that you can lessen the actual handling of the ballot with your hands.
- Full Shade Please! – Shade the egg-shaped hole beside your chosen candidate fully (you will be provided with a marker). Don’t check, line, X, dot, or half-shade it, because the PCOS Unit will not read it. Try not to go beyond the lines also (well, not too much).
- Unscratched Barcode – there is a barcode around the ballot. If this is marked, even scratched, in any way, the ballot will be spoiled. Watch the ballot-handlers well, in case they intentionally scratch the barcode with their fingernails to intentionally prevent your ballot from being counted.
- Insert With Care – you are allowed to insert your ballot in to the PCOS unit for four (4) times. You can put it in in whichever directions: forward, backward, face up or face down. You can kiss your ballot goodbye if the machine is unable to read it after the 4th attempt.
- Second Thoughts – You will get one chance to have your ballot changed if you don’t like it. That’s when the officials first hand it to you. Inspect it right away. If you see any folds, scratches, or marks, you can ask for a change.
- Plan Ahead – Save time by bringing a list of your chosen candidates on a piece of paper.
- Read the Machine – Be sure to read the message on the PCOS Unit when you insert your ballot into it. If successful, it will display, “Congratulations! Your ballot has been scanned.” and your vote will be counted. Otherwise, it will indicate the error message (improper shading, etc.) and your vote will be voided.
- Bring Photo IDs -Speed up voting process by bringing valid IDs (voter’s ID, driver’s license, passport, or anything that contain your photo and address) to present present to the BEI (Board of Elections Inspector).
- Specific Machine – only one specific machine will be able to read your ballot, because it’s pre-registered there, so when you’re ready, line up at the proper machine. Other units will be unable to process your ballot which will spoil your vote.
- Be Punctual – Polls open on May 10, 2010, at 7 a.m. and end at 6 p.m. PCOS Units have internal batteries that can last 16 hours, which means 6-hour buffer is allotted in case of power failure. Arrive early to avoid technical concerns.
- Results – Election winners will be determined after 5 days. If the results are not tallied after day 5, manual counting will be allowed by the machines.
- Receipt – Aside from “Congratulations” message, make sure that the PCOS unit prints out a long receipt similar to cash register receipts. These receipts will be securely placed in a sealed box which will then be sent to COMELEC for proper counting.
- Vote Properly – Except for senate candidates, you should vote only the exact number you should vote for. Meaning, vote only for 1 president, 1 vice president, 1 party list, 1 mayor, 1 vice mayor, 1 member of the House of Representatives, etc. (it states on your ballot as a “Vote for not more than ____”). If you vote for more than the stipulated number, that particular portion of the ballot is spoiled. You may vote for less than 12 senatorial candidates.
- No Room for Mistake – Any mistake will cost your vote. So make sure to follow all the guidelines.
- Signature – After you vote, you’ll also be asked to do the usual signing of forms and marking of thumbprints.
TL;DR (Too Long; Didn’t Read) -> If you’ve reached this point simply by scrolling down because the post is too long for you to read, here’s a quick summary: Arrive EARLY at the polling stations with valid photo IDs and clean hands (literally), handle your ballot with care, be vigilant and watchful of any suspicious activities, and watch the messages on the machine before you leave the voting place.
Feel free to share this post to everyone you know. Thanks again to Tita Syl of PHC for sharing this information with us.
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