MANILA – The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is looking into allowing a 15 percent shading threshold in ballots for next year’s midterm elections.
This is based on the recommendation of the poll body’s Project Management Office (PMO) to the en banc, Comelec chair George Erwin Garcia said in a press briefing Tuesday.
“Fifteen percent is enough. Para kahit mga kababayan natin na natuldok lang ay macount na. Subject sa approval ng en banc of course (So that our kababayans who only use dots will have their vote counted. Of course, this is subject to the approval of the en banc),” he said.
Garcia said that in case the seven-member Commission en banc approves the PMO’s recommendation, shaded ballots with below 15 percent shading will not be counted.
“Let’s simplify it. If it’s below the 15 percent shading threshold, we would have a ‘no vote’ for that position. The elderly, persons with disabilities and those are having difficulties, even if they only put a dot, it would be counted,” he said.
“That’s the intention of the voter. Always remember, the real intention of the voter should prevail. We are not supposed to suppress the intention of the voter.”
If approved, the new shading threshold will be the lowest since 2020 which was at 20 percent.
The Comelec en banc would hold its next meeting on Wednesday.
However, Garcia said check marks in ballots will not be accepted.
Meanwhile, Garcia announced that the local absentee voting (LAV) in next year’s midterm poll for eligible personnel will be automated.
He, however, said only ballots will be provided in places where LAV voters will cast their votes.
“Scattered kasi machines dun sa local absentee voting, hindi lang naman kasi media yun. Balota, shade niyo tapos kung saan location ng local absentee voting committee, ima mass feed na lang sa machine. Napakahirap dalhin mga machines sa lahat (Machines to be used in the local absentee voting are scattered. That is not for the media only. Get a ballot, shade it and we will just mass feed it into the machine at the local absentee voting committee. It would be hard to bring all machines to all hubs),” Garcia said.
The poll body chief added the machines will transmit results electronically to the Consolidation and Canvassing System (CCS).
He said the purpose is to expedite the process without compromising its credibility.
“After the close of the voting, counting will immediately commence,” Garcia said when asked on when the mass feeding of the LAV ballots will be conducted.
Those who may apply as voters for LAV are teachers, members of the Philippine National Police (PNP), the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and media workers who are serving poll duties on election day.
Under LAV, voters are allowed to vote for national positions specifically president, vice president, senators and party-list Representatives, in places where they are not registered voters but where they are temporarily assigned to perform election duties on election day or in case of media, who will not be able to vote due to the performance of their functions in covering and reporting on the elections.
The poll body has yet to schedule the dates on when and where LAV voters will cast their votes. (PNA)