The Commission on Elections (Comelec) will begin its internet voting test run for overseas voting from Sep. 11 to Sep. 13.
In a virtual briefing on Wednesday (Sep. 8), Comelec Spokesperson James Jimenez said the voting test run will commence on Saturday (Sep. 11) starting at 8:00 a.m. until Monday (Sep. 13) at 8:00 p.m. He added that the test run will be conducted with voting solutions firm Voatz.
Registered Filipino voters abroad only need to download the Voatz mobile application or web application and fill in the needed information to participate in the voting test run. The Comelec and Voatz assured that the security and information of the participants will not be compromised.
Aside from Voatz, the Comelec also has an agreement with Smartmatic and Indra to conduct additional voting test runs this month of September. The poll body hopes that if the test run will be successful, it will be implemented in the 2025 elections.
However, Congress must first pass a law regarding online elections before it can be implemented in the country.
The Comelec initially pointed out that online voting is timely due to the pandemic.
“Whatever it will cost us to do internet voting is the money we’re going to save from other expenses such as printing so many ballots, mailing them, mailing them back, and delivering courier services. I’m hoping that it’s going to offset what we have in the budget in the other things,” Comelec Commissioner-in-charge for overseas voting Rowena Guanzon added.
Report from Kenneth Paciente/NGS- bny
