Gov’t workers, media join first automated local absentee poll

Metro Manila, Philippines - Two weeks before the May 12 midterm elections, some government workers and media personnel who will be on duty on Election Day cast their ballots through the three-day local absentee voting (LAV) beginning Wednesday, April 28.

More than 57,000 participants are taking part in the LAV nationwide. These include 29,030 members of the Armed Forces, 23,448 police, 4206 personnel from government agencies, and 1,005 media personnel.

At the Commission on Elections main office in Intramuros, Manila, the head of the committee on local absentee voting led the 922 officials and personnel in casting their votes.

”Sa May 12, magiging busy kami sa counting ng local absentee ballots dito sa main office… hindi ako makakapunta sa presinto,” said Comelec Director Allen Francis Abaya, who also heads the Electoral Contests Adjudication Department which served as the voting center.

[Translation: On May 12, we will be busy counting the local absentee ballots here at the main office... I won’t be able to go to the precinct.]

He shared that it is faster and easier to avail of the LAV now that it is automated.

In the past, local absentee voters had to manually write the names of their candidates. But this time, voters only need to shade the ballots, just like the rest of the voters in the automated polls.

Comelec Chairman George Garcia explained that he could not speak for his predecessors who chose to do manual voting for the LAV, but for him, it was a chance to expedite the process without compromising the integrity of the elections. He said the automated LAV is faster and easier to avail of.

Previous polls had local absentee voters manually writing the names of candidates. But this time, voters only need to shade the ballots, just like the rest of the voters in the automated polls.

Garcia said it was a chance to expedite the process without compromising the integrity of the elections.

“Sixteen thousand nga yung aming contingency machines bakit naman hindi natin gagamitin, bakit naman natin pahihirapan yung mga kasamahan natin sa media, sa AFP, sa PNP,” he said.

[Translation: Since we have 16,000 contingency machines, why not use them? Why make it harder for our colleagues in the media, AFP, and PNP?]

He said LAV ballots will be counted on May 12, instead of taking up to five days as with manual voting. He added that these will still undergo random manual audits to make sure they are counted correctly.

How it’s done

Voters must carefully fold the ballot, place it inside a white envelope, seal it, and hand it to the poll workers.

The ballot is placed in a larger brown envelope, which is sealed before it is dropped into the box for safekeeping.

Garcia said the ballot boxes will be sealed to prevent tampering or unauthorized access. These will be transported to the Comelec for safekeeping until 7 p.m. on Election Day, when the counting will begin as voting concludes.

How important

Garcia said 57,000 votes could change election results. He recalled a previous election.

“May nangyari na po dati kung hindi tayo nagkakamali that was sometime in 2007 or 2010 na kung saan 10,000 lang ang lamang ng number 12 at number 13 sa senatorial candidates. Therefore ganun ka-critical ang 57,000 because this can deliver a vote in favor,” Garcia said.

[Translation: Something happened before, if we're not mistaken, that was sometime in 2007 or 2010, where the margin between the 12th and 13th senatorial candidates was only 10,000 votes. Therefore, the 57,000 is very critical because it could deliver a vote in favor.]

Garcia is also hoping a law will be enacted to allow private sector employees to avail of LAV.