By Perla Lena/Philippine News Agency
ILOILO CITY — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) here has held a one-day road show to inform voters on the Vote Counting Machine (VCM) and the Voter Registration Verification Machines (VRVM) at the City Hall on Tuesday.
“This is one of the advocacies of the Comelec to present our VCM and the new technology, which is the VRVM,” said Nolan S. Brotarlo, Election Assistant II of Comelec Iloilo City.
The city hall is just one of the stops of the roadshow that has been brought to schools upon invitations of student organizations and various districts in the city since the Comelec started with the advocacy in March.
“Most of the participants are new voters, so we really have to educate them on how to use the machines,” he said.
Prior to the introduction of the VRVM, he said the registered voter has to approach the board of election inspector (BEI) to introduce his/her name, sequence number and precinct number for verification in order to get a ballot.
With the VRVM, the registered voter only has to know his/her precinct assignment, proceed to the machine and undergo a fingerprint scanning for identification. A receipt will come out, which the voter will present to the chairman of the BEI to claim his/her ballot.
After casting their votes, the voter proceeds to the VCM and feed the ballot. It can be done in any orientation.
He reminded that the ballot has to be fully shaded. Also voters are advised not to over vote, although they can under vote.
“There is only one ballot for every registered voter. So voters should make sure that their ballot has no damage when they claim it from the chairman,” he stressed, adding that if the damage was caused by the registered voter then it can no longer be replaced.
After the ballot was feed to the machine, a voter’s receipt or voters verifiable paper audit trail (VVPAT) will come out showing the names of the candidates that were voted by the voter.
The voter cannot keep the VVPAT. It has to be returned to the electoral board (EB). The VVPAT will be placed in an envelope or box intended for the receipt.
After the process, the voter will have his/her finger blotted with indelible ink.
Brotarlo said that their office is willing to conduct roadshows should there are groups or organizations to learn more about the latest features of the 2019 midterm elections.
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