validity and reliability of vote counting machines

©️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.


What isVote Counting Machine

or VCM?


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


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


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)


How COMELEC prepares the VCMs?


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.


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


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.


Challenges encountered in running VCMs


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


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


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.

validity and reliability of vote counting machines

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