lagman on parallel manual count

8/9/2019 Lagman on parallel manual count

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by Gus Lagman

TransparentElections.org.ph


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The Manual Election System

1. Ballots tallied by BEI ineach precinct and ERsprepared

2. BEIs bring ERs toCMBOCs

3. CMBOCs canvass ERsand prepare SOVs andCOCs; bring them toPBOCs

4. PBOCs canvass COCs

and prepare provincialCOCs and SOVs; bringthem to NBOC

5. NBOC (Comelec)canvasses COCs;Congress canvassesPres/VP COCs


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The Manual Election

Processy theVOTING period 08 hours

y PRECINCT COUNTING 12 hours

y CANVASSING 40days!

y Municipal canvassing

y Provincial canvassing

y National canvassing

y Its very obvious which phase should beautomated!


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Looking at it from another

perspective

y If we change the voting system, then we have totrain 45 millionvoters on the new system; we alsohave to train some 300,000 teachers.

y If we automate the precinct counting, then theprocess loses its transparency; counting will not beseen by the voting public; automated cheatingbecomes a real possibility.

y If we automate only the canvassing, then westill cut down the election process from 40 days tomaybe 3-5 days. We can still prevent wholesalecheating (dagdag-bawas).


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The question to ask is

yDid the Comelec consider

these basic facts before it

decided on which technology

to use?

Most likely not

Because they chose one that

changes the voting system

and automates the precinct

counting.


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The two things we are allThe two things we are all

very worried about very worried about

1. Failure of elections

2. Automated Garci


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Failure of ElectionsFailure of Elections

y 1st country in the world - from pure manual to fullnationwide automation in one election exercise

y Smartmatics first experience in PCOS of thismagnitude

y Delivery and testing of PCOS delayed by 4 months

y Fabrication of ballot boxes only started a few weeksago; no longer transparent box

y Printing of ballots not yet completed (1,631 versions)

y Order for Ballot Secrecy Folders cancelled

y Indelible ink ordered did not pass the test

y Logistics is a nightmare

y Many BEIs (teachers) not yet trainedy Voters not yet trained

y 45,000 technicians not yet hired, trained

y Possibility that not all can vote very high

y General Instructions not complete


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Automated GarciAutomated Garci


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Why are we deeply concerned aboutWhy are we deeply concerned about

the high probability of an Automatedthe high probability of an Automated

Garci?Garci?1. Comelec chose a technology that counts votes in

secret.

2. Comelec did not allow source code review.

3. PCOS print-out/display of voters choices disabled.

4. Smartmatic to generate both public and private keys;

recently, Comelec said the keys will already be pre-fed

into PCOS.

5. Comelec will proclaim winners before audit is done.

6. No General Instructions (GI) for random manual audit,

continuity plan, protest process.

7. UV ink check disabled.

8. Smartmatic managing the whole process?

9. Digital data to be transmitted to Dominant Party,

Dominant Opposition, Citizens Arm, KBP, in round-

about way.


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Secret ti ,Secret ti ,

liccountingPubliccounting

Theelection mantra today allover

the world


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How can Garci beHow can Garci be

automated?automated?

1.Hide a cheating program in PCOS

(automated retail dagdag-bawas)2.Store preset results data in CF cards

3.Tamper with digital results during

transmission

4.Manipulate results through canvassingprograms (automated wholesale dagdag-

bawas)


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PCOS (Pr ci ct Count

Optical Scan)

1. Voters mark pre-printed ballots

2. Voters feed ballotsinto OMR (PCOS)

3. Ballots dropautomatically intoballot box

4. At end of voting, votescounted; ERs printed

5. PCOS electronicallysends ERs andscanned ballots toCMBOC w/c will printSOV, COC

6. ERs also sent todominant party,dominant opposition,citizens arm, andmedia

7. CMBOC sendsSOV/COC to PBOC w/cwill print Prov SOVsand COCs

8. PBOC sendsPSOV/PCOC to NBOCw/c will print finalresults

CITY/MUNICIPAL

BOARD OF CANVASSERS

PROVINCIAL

BOARD OF CANVASSERS

NATIONAL

BOARD OF CANVASSERS

DOMINANT

PARTY

DOMINANT

OPPOSITION

CITIZENS

ARM

MEDIA &

OTHERS

PRECINCTS

PCOS


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26 days before E26 days before E--day, can we still doday, can we still do

something to make our electionssomething to make our elections

credible?credible?

y In implementing an IT system, a pilot run

and/or a parallel run is always done

y Despite a provision in the law, Comelecdid not do a pilot run

y This time, we have to demanddemand that the

Comelec at least does a parallel run

yyManually count all ballots, but only on 3Manually count all ballots, but only on 3positionspositions president, vicepresident, vice--president, andpresident, and

mayormayor


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Parallel run will eliminate many ofParallel run will eliminate many of

our concerns about an Automatedour concerns about an Automated

GarciGarci1. Comelec chose a technology that counts votes in

secret

2. Comelec did not allow source code review

3. PCOS print-out/display of voters choices disabled

4. Smartmatic to generate both public and private keys;

recently, Comelec said the keys will already be pre-fed

into PCOS

5. Comelec will proclaim winners before audit is done

6. No GI for random manual audit, continuity plan, protest

process

7. UV ink check disabled

8. Smartmatic managing the whole process

9. Digital data to be transmitted to Dominant Party,

Dominant Opposition, Citizens Arm, KBP, in round-

about way


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Questions the Comelec mightQuestions the Comelec might

ask:ask:y Q: It might delay the release of election

results

y A: Our time and motion study shows that this

extra step will only take 3 hours for a precinct

with 600 votersy Q: What if there are discrepancies between

the PCOS and manual counts?

y A: Until today, Comelec has been claiming

that PCOS is accurate; if its not, then why did

they choose this machine in the first place?

y Q: But what if there are?

y A: Then count the votes for all positions. This

is estimated to take approx. 2 days and the

canvassing an extra 2 days.


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Questions (cont.)

y Q: Theres no time to prepare for it

y A: Part of their contingency plan is to

print forms needed for manual counting.

They might as well print for 100% ofprecincts.

y Q: Its difficult to implement.

y A: Its not. And its a small price to pay for

credible elections.y Q: Its not in the law

y A: The law does not prohibit it either


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y Ours is a most reasonable request. It is a

simple and most logical solution to the

uncertainties in the coming election.y There is absolutely no reason why the

Comelec will not accept our

recommendation.

y

All they need to do is call. We are mostwilling to sit down with them to discuss

the details of this solution.


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Th k youTh k you

lagman on parallel manual count

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