Saturday, December 23, 2006 Comelec puts off automated polls
THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) has called off a pilot test on full automation for next year’s polls, although electronic transmission of results will be possible if Congress authorizes Comelec to adopt the system.
In a press statement, Comelec Chairman Benjamin Abalos said the advisory council recommended doing away with the tests, because of insufficient time.
A bill on automated elections has not been signed into law and no budget has been set aside for the pilot tests, said Abalos, which was why the council rejected automated voting and counting.
Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez said last Thursday that Comelec considered Mandaue City and Cebu Province as two pilot areas in Central Visayas for automated voting and counting.
However, the chairman added that it is still possible for Comelec to implement electronic transmission if Congress allows it.
“It would be more prudent to focus on electronic transmission since this requires less preparation time than the automation of voting and counting,” Abalos said.
Transmission
Electronic transmission means that election results from counting centers will be beamed to canvassing centers either via satellite, SMS (short messaging service) or a regular phone line.
Election results are also sent to a secure website and to different political parties, Jimenez added. Apart from making the results available faster, the system is supposed to add to the security of results from far-flung areas.
But implementation of electronic transmission still depends on Congress.
“We remain hopeful that the lawmakers will be able to decide if they will allow the electronic transmission to be used in the May 2007 polls,” said Abalos.
He cited the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao and Batanes as possible pilot areas for electronic transmission. (OCP)
