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What is Automated Election?


Automated election system — a system using appropriate technology for voting and electronic devices to count votes and canvass/consolidate results.


What are the essential benefits?


1. User-friendly and need not require computer-literate operators.

2. The machine security is a built-in and multi-layer existent on hardware and software with minimum human intervention using latest technology like encrypted coding system.

3. The security key control is embedded inside the machine sealed against human intervention.

4. The Optical Mark Reader (OMR) do have a built-in printer for numbering the counted ballots and also for printing the individual precinct number on the counted ballots.

5. The ballot paper for the OMR counting machine have the quality that passed the international standard like ISO-1831, JIS-X- 9004 or its equivalent for optical character recognition.

6. The ballot feeder is automatic.

7. The machine is able to count from 100 to 150 ballots per minute.

8. The counting machine is able to detect fake or counterfeit ballots and do have a fake ballot rejector.

9. The counting machine is able to detect and reject previously counted ballots to prevent duplication.

10. The counting machine have the capability to recognize the ballot's individual precinct and city or municipality before counting or consolidating the votes.

11. The System have a printer that has the capacity to print in one stroke or operation seven (7) copies (original plus six (6) copies) of the consolidated reports on carbonless paper.

12. The printer have at least 128 kilobytes of Random Access Memory (RAM) to facilitate the expeditious processing of the printing of the consolidated reports.

13. The machine have a built-in hard disk to store the counted and consolidated data for future printout and verification.

14. The machine is temperature-resistant and rust-proof.

15. The machine is not be capable of being connected to external computer peripherals for the process of vote consolidation.


16. It provide the shortest time needed to complete the counting of votes and canvassing of the results of the election.

17. The machine is enable to generate consolidated reports like the election return, statement of votes and certificate of canvass at different levels.

18.While RA 9369 provides for the printing of up to 30 copies of ERs and their posting at the precinct, the single transmission and canvassing system can move much faster.

19.While RA 9369 provides for the printing of up to 30 copies of ERs and their posting at the precinct, the single transmission and canvassing system can move much faster.

20.Some vendors claim that national candidates could be proclaimed in less than 48 hours.




The Disadvantage of Automated Voting

It is interesting that while it was said that the slow transmission and canvassing in the old manual system created many opportunities for fraud, in the new automated system, very fast transmission and canvassing in 2010 may lead to massive fraud, frustrating the true votes of our nation.
"Automated election fraud By Manuel A. Alcuaz Jr. of Philippine Daily Inquirer"



1. In the new OMR system voters will feed the ballot into the machine the next thing we will see is the printed election return. Whether our votes were properly counted we will not know.

2.Transparency at the precinct level is gone.

Fraud can take place and the voters and watchers at the precinct will not know if fraud has taken place.

3.It is not free from Hacking.

4. The Comelec AES has no safeguards against insider-initiated fraud. It assumes that the Comelec and the vendor officials, managers and staff are absolutely honest. It assumes that an automated system will not commit mistakes or fraud.

5.Counting tables can be changed. Since the OMR machines are connected to the Internet, it is possible for an outside party, in connivance with Comelec or system vendor people, to enable an unseen computer to load the fraudulent table.

6.There is no provision for audit.



How do we safeguard our vote?



In order to prevent automated election fraud, certain safeguards have to be instituted. These include:

1. The OMR machines should not have any network connection. The election results should be copied to USB memory sticks, which can subsequently be loaded to a separate PC that will transmit the results to the Comelec canvassing system at the municipality and to the dominant majority and minority parties, as well as to the citizens arms such as PPCRV and Namfrel.

2. The above parties should be provided with their own PCs to be able to produce their own COCs. If the Comelec COC does not match the COCs produced by other parties, a careful review should be done prior to transmission to the provincial level.

3. The verified municipal COC should then be transmitted to the multiple groups defined above. Again, the Comelec COC should be compared with the other COCs and the reason for discrepancies should be determined.

4. The verified Provincial COC should again be transmitted to multiple parties.

The Comelec and Congressional Canvass should again be compared to the parallel canvasses to assure that fraud is minimized as much as possible.

5. Each of the concerned groups should make their results available on their websites for the public to access.

6. It is your honesty that be practiced because if we want a change it depend on us. Listen to what is proper and what must you need things to do to help to have a clean and peaceful election this coming 2010 election.


Own point of view

In my own perception having an automated election is good for us. Nowadays, technology grow faster and bigger and its demand is continuously growing so fast. Third world country like us is really far behind compare to the giants and tiger countries in terms of technology. In these case our prior concerned must be how to compete with this fast changing technology and it must start by having an automated election this coming 2010 election. I do believe that It is not wrong nor destructing if we go with the flow on the new technology that the world offers us like having an automated election. Changes is not soon but it is now let it start on this coming election.

Some may not satisfied about the Automated election for some circumstances that may come along the way. I instantly understand them, but why adapt the new technology it is still the same that fraud and cheating still be encountered its unstoppable unless diminishing all those wicked soul. I stand to have an automated election cause i believe why prolonging the agony about the election credibility if it still fraud prevailing. In automated it gives the result in less than 48 hours, in this short span of time we will have the evil elected in his respective throne.

Changes come from us if all people stand in one philosophy of having a clean and peaceful election it can be it might be not this 2010 election but i know it will come. I don't really closing my doors to a miracle that we will be having a fair and election. In my heart the hopes for electing the right people is at near.

That's it! That is how election must be!


references:
http://www.chanrobles.com/republicactno8436.htm/
http://business.inquirer.net/money/columns/view/20090706-214009/Automated-election-fraud/