Election GRIDlock
The who, how, what, and where of May 10
In a “take no prisoners” kind of national elections, where only winners go home with a trophy, it is no wonder politicians will do everything short of selling their souls to get into power. This is an attempt to untangle the who, how, what, and where of the May 10 election gridlock.
WHO are running
As the political fever kicks-in and the nation drudges along, reeling from the effects of the campaign crossfire, candidates and their political parties are now busy raising funds, sharpening song and dance routines, and cramming on economic and social platforms to impress the electorate. Who are the contenders? Who will be the 15th President of the Philippines, the members of the 13th Congress, the local officials?
Click here to view Coalition Slates for National Positions
HOW votes will be counted
The Comelec which was supposed to implement a computerized election count this year has now been ordered by the Supreme Court to revert back to the manual method of counting after irregularities were found to have marred the bidding of counting machines. As in past elections, the official Comelec count will be done the traditional way. On the other hand, the National Citizens’ Movement for Free Elections (Namfrel) - the accredited citizen’s watchdog - will also undertake an unofficial quick count.
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COMELEC
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has the exclusive power to administer and enforce the conduct of elections. On the 10th of May 2004, when voting centers close at 3:00 p.m., the Comelec’s official count starts. At the precinct level, the count will produce an election return (ER), the summary of results of a single precinct. (There are 213,000 precincts nationwide.) Each ER will have to be duly signed by authorized persons. There are six copies of every ER.
The original copy goes to the provincial election supervisor, the second is kept in the compartment of the ballot box. The third copy goes to the COMELEC head office, the fourth to the dominant political party, the fifth to the dominant minority party and the sixth copy to Namfrel.From the precinct level, the ERs are brought to a municipality where the canvassing of ERs are done, the result of which is a municipal Certificate of Canvass (COC), a document with also six copies, each going to the same entities as did the ERs. From the municipal level, the COCs are then brought to the province where results are again canvassed to produce a provincial COC. Then, from the province, the COCs are brought to Congress where the final consolidation of COC results are computed and an official final count for the 2004 national election is declared.
NAMFREL
Namfrel’s Operation Quick Count starts at the precinct level where the sixth copy of the election return (ER) is taken and transmitted directly to Namfrel’s OQC headquarters at La Salle Greenhills in Metro Manila. This is what makes Namfrel’s count faster than the Comelec’s official count. However, Namfrel verifies its count at the municipal and provincial levels by also getting their fourth copy of the municipal and provincial Certificates of Canvass. |
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HOW to Vote
• Voting Hours: Monday, 10 May 2004, from 7:00 am – 3:00 pm
• Check your name and precinct assignment
before election day to avoid confusion.
Computerized Voters Lists are available from the COMELEC or at the city/Municipal Hall. Lists will also be posted at the voter’s places just before election day.
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Tips for Voters |
• Bring your own guide (codigo) rather than relying on sample ballots distributed by political party watchers on election day.
• Place your votes in alphabetical order by last name. This will help speed up the count because COMELEC tally forms and election returns are also printed in
alphabetical order, making it easier for the BEI to find names during the counting. |
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| Voting Procedures |
1. Approach the Board of Election Inspectors (BEI) in your precinct, present your name and voter registration record. You should be prepared to present some form of identification (e.g. driver’s license or work/student ID with photo).
2. The BEI Chairperson shall then do the following:
• Check voter’s right forefinger for any sign of indelible ink.
• Announce the serial number of voter’s ballot and enter this into the
Voter Registration Record.
• Affix his/her signature at the back of the ballot.
• Fold the ballot with serial number showing.
• Give the ballot to the voter.
3. Upon receiving the ballot, sign the Voter Registration Record and proceed to the voting booth.
4. Fill out the ballot. We suggest bringing your own guide (codigo) rather than relying on sample ballots.
5. Fold the ballot and return this to the BEI. You will be asked to affix your thumbmark on the ballot coupon.
6. The BEI Chairperson will verify the ballot serial number against the number entered in the Voter’s Registration Record book to ensure that these are the same.
7. You will then be asked to affix your thumbmark in the Voter’s Registration Record book.
8. The BEI Chairperson will then place indelible ink on your forefinger to signify that you have voted. You will sign beside your name in the Voter’s
Registration Record book. The Chairperson will then detach the portion containing the serial number from the ballot and deposit your ballot in the compartment for valid ballots and deposit the detached portion in the compartment for spoiled ballots of the ballot box.
9. You may now leave the polling place. |
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WHERE votes will come from
WHAT the promises are
In tailing the “win at all cost” campaign trail, the following are the election promises ranging from the concrete and attainable to the whimsical
Click here
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