validity and reliability of vote counting machines
TRANSCRIPT
©️Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting. All Rights Reserved. 2021.
Validity and Reliability of Vote Counting Machines
October 26, 2021
Henry Aguda
A few of our many volunteers!℅ FB
Images ℅ Various PPCRV Facebook Pages
Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting
Non-partisan, non-sectarian, non-profit organization.
©️Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting. All Rights Reserved. 2021.
What isVote Counting Machine
or VCM?
©️Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting. All Rights Reserved. 2021.
Republic Act No. 9369
An Act authorizing the Commission on Elections
(COMELEC) to use an automated election system in the
May 11, 1998 National or Local Elections and in subsequent
National and local electoral exercises, providing funds
therefore and for other purposes.Senate Electoral
Tribunal
©️Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting. All Rights Reserved. 2021.
Vote Counting Machine (VCM)
A machine that uses an optical scanning/mark – sense reading
device or any similar advanced technology to count ballots
R.A. 9369, Section 2
©️Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting. All Rights Reserved. 2021.
Audited
Firmware
Election
Management System
SD Card
Generator
Ballot
Printer
Transparency
Server
Comelec Main
Server
Consolidation and
Canvassing Server
- Municipal
- Provincial- National
1. Software
VCM Main Components
2. Configuration
3. Ballots
4. Transmission
2016: 94,000 (leased units used in the 2016 polls)
2019: 85,000 (used for the mid-term polls)2022: 97,000+ (refurbished Sept, 2021)
©️Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting. All Rights Reserved. 2021.
How COMELEC prepares the VCMs?
©️Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting. All Rights Reserved. 2021.
Final Testing and Sealing (FTS)
A procedure to test
whether the machines can
count correctly by letting 10
actual voters to accomplish
real voting procedures
instead of using dummy
ballots.
©️Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting. All Rights Reserved. 2021.
FTS Procedure
Ensuring safe delivery of VCMs to
their respective precincts1
Testing conducted in the presence
of volunteers
During testing, voting for all
positions should be accomplished
2
3
4
5
6
Reconcile all manual votes during
testing
Transmission Diagnostic Testing
Ensuring machine is properly
sealed
©️Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting. All Rights Reserved. 2021.
Prohibitions (testing and election day)
Connecting of any
device to the
transmission port
before transmission is
strictly prohibited.
Connecting of any device to the VCM
console port is strictly prohibited.
Replacing SD cards and
other components are
strictly prohibited after
testing and sealing.
Interchanging of SD
cards are prohibited as
each SD card has its
assigned precinct.
Sharing of PINs and iButton
key to non-BEIs are strictly
prohibited.
©️Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting. All Rights Reserved. 2021.
Challenges encountered in running VCMs
©️Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting. All Rights Reserved. 2021.
VCM failure to initialize
Misread ballot
Invalid ballot
Fake and Duplicate ballot
Paper Jams
X
!
X
Common Issues Basic Troubleshooting
! • Check power
• Re-insert SD card
• SD card installed correctly
• Make sure no tear or spots in the ballots
• Run Ballot Diagnostic Test – re-feed the
ballot in different orientation
• Clean Scanner
• Insert different ballot to test
• Verify Ballot ID if the clustered precinct ID
is correct
• Verify if ballot inserted has UV security
markings
• Carefully remove the jammed ballot
• If caught at the bottom of VCM, wobble
the ballot box
• Check for any obstructions at the exit
©️Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting. All Rights Reserved. 2021.
What voters should expect when a VCM malfunctions
Electoral Board should inform voters of the two options based from the
Resolution 10497 (will be replaced by updated NLE 2022).
OPTION 1:
EB will inform voters that they may proceed
with casting the votes without being issued
receipts.
Entrust ballots to the Electoral Board (EB) OPTION 2:
EB will inform voters that they may wait until
the equipment is repaired or gets replaced
before casting their votes.
Wait for the VCM to get repaired
©️Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting. All Rights Reserved. 2021.
Certificate of Canvass and their Distribution
The certificate of canvass for president, vice-president, senator
and member of the house of Representatives and elective
provincial official shall be prepared in seven copies by the city
or municipal board of canvassers.
R.A. 9369, Section 40
1 out of 7
Images ℅ Various PPCRV Facebook Pages
Volunteers “Always” Welcome!
Thank You.