1. 2013
AUTOMATED
ELECTION
SYSTEM
Integrated Bar of the Philippines Zambales Chapter

2. Automated Election System
A system using appropriate technology which
has been demonstrated in the voting, counting,
consolidating, canvassing, and transmission of
election results, and other electoral processes
Its purpose is to ensure the secrecy and
sanctity of the ballot and all election,
consolidation and transmission documents in
order that the process shall be transparent and
credible and that the results shall be fast,
accurate and reflective of the genuine will of
the people
- RA No. 9369 -

3. Relevant Laws
 Rep. Act No. 8436 approved December 22, 1997
RA 8436 was considered a “purchase order” law – provides for 23
specifications that appear to be tailored-fit to a particular bidder
 Rep. Act No. 9369 approved January 23, 2007
RA 9369 amended RA 8436 by providing for systems requirements that
are neutral – paper based or non paper-based technology - appropriate and
practical for the process of voting, counting of votes and canvassing/
consolidation and transmittal of results of electoral exercises.
 Rep. Act No. 9525 approved on March 23, 2009
An Act appropriating the sum of P11,301,790,000.00 as supplemental
appropriations for an Automated Election System and Other Purposes

4. Precinct Count Optical Scan (PCOS) System
 Similar to the OMR technology used
in the five provinces of the ARMM
during the August 2008 ARMM
elections.
 A paper- based technology. It uses a
paper ballot where the names of the
candidates to be voted are pre- printed
in the ballot.
 After voting, ballots will be fed in an
automated counting machine (ACM).
 It has a 99.99999% accuracy rate.

5. PCOS or AUTOMATED COUNTING MACHINE (ACM)
 Counting of votes will be done in the
precinct, one PCOS or Automated
Counting Machine (ACM) for every
clustered precinct
 Scans ballot, both sides of the paper
ballot can be read in a single pass
 Takes and stores a digital image of
every ballot cast
 Automatically rejects fake,
photocopied, invalid and previously
scanned ballots
 Runs on a main power source of 220V
AC, has a back-up battery that will allow
machine to run for 12 hours

7. SAMPLE BALLOT BOX
 Transparent, clear plastic
 Will be subject to bidding
by COMELEC

8. Ballot box has two
compartments, one
for valid ballots
and the other for
spoiled or invalid
ballots

14. pcos (precinct count optical scan)
… and get dropped into the ballot
box thru this chute …
PCOS takes a photograph
of ballots …
Ballots go in here …

15. pcos (precinct count optical scan)
… and there they are. :)

16. statistics
∗ Estimated 47,000,000 + registered voters
∗ 45,411,887 registered voters - as of July 20, 2009 ERB Hearing
• Last ERB Hearing on November 16, 2009
∗ 80 Provinces
∗ 1,631 cities and municipalities
∗ 320,415 Established Precincts (estimate)
∗ 80,136 Clustered Precincts (estimate)
∗ 37,884 Polling Centers (estimate)
∗ 82,200 PCOS Machines
∗ 80,136 PCOS Machines for distribution to clustered precincts

17. PCOS Allocation
No. of Machines
Luzon 43,412
Visayas 17,820
Mindanao 18,904
TOTAL 80,136
Back-up/Contingency 2,064
TOTAL 82,200

18. PCOS Allocation
Region Province No. of Machines
NCR 8,389
REGION I 4,699
ILOCOS NORTE 682
ILOCOS SUR 909
LA UNION 798
PANGASINAN 2,310
REGION II 3,261
BATANES 30
CAGAYAN 1,156
ISABELA 1,459
NUEVA VIZCAYA 423
QUIRINO 193

19. PCOS Allocation
Region Province No. of Machines
REGION III 8,095
AURORA 228
BATAAN 669
BULACAN 1,978
NUEVA ECIJA 1,730
PAMPANGA 1,760
TARLAC 1,061
ZAMBALES 669
REGION IV-A 9,499
BATANGAS 1,945
CAVITE 2,263
LAGUNA 1,834
QUEZON 1,807

20. PCOS Allocation
Region Province No. of Machines
REGION IV-B 2,524
MARINDUQUE 272
OCC MINDORO 368
OR MINDORO 705
PALAWAN 869
ROMBLON 310
REGION V 5,101
ALBAY 1,158
CAMARINES 460
NORTE 1,602
CAMARINES SUR 349
CATANDUANES 819

21. PCOS Allocation
Region Province No. of Machines
REGION VI 6,751
AKLAN 562
ANTIQUE 707
CAPIZ 687
GUIMARAS 176
ILOILO 2,447
NEGROS OCC 2,172
REGION VII 5,749
BOHOL 1,423
CEBU 3,085
NEGROS 1,097
ORIENTAL 144

22. PCOS Allocation
Region Province No. of Machines
REGION VIII 5,320
BILIRAN 191
EASTERN SAMAR 659
LEYTE 2,043
NORTHERN SAMAR 719
SAMAR (WESTERN) 1,105
SOUTHERN LEYTE 603
REGION IX 2,979
ZAMBOANGA NORTE 968
ZAMBOANGA SUR 1,438
ZAMBOANGA 573
SIBUGAY

23. PCOS Allocation
Region Province No. of Machines
REGION X 3,865
BUKIDNON 1,066
CAMIGUIN 101
LANAO DEL NORTE 873
MISAMIS OCC 650
MISAMIS ORIENTAL 1,175
REGION XI 3,557
COMPOSTELA VALLEY 586
DAVAO NORTE 759
DAVAO SUR 1,752
DAVAO ORIENTAL 460

24. PCOS Allocation
Region Province No. of Machines
REGION XII 2,839
COTABATO (NORTH 936
COT.) 402
SARANGANI 883
SOUTH COTABATO 618
SULTAN KUDARAT
ARMM 3,361
BASILAN 349
LANAO DEL SUR 1,227
MAGUINDANAO 529
SHARIFF KABUNSUAN 349
SULU 626
TAWI-TAWI 281

25. PCOS Allocation
Region Province No. of Machines
CAR 1,844
ABRA 350
APAYAO 152
BENGUET 632
IFUGAO 231
KALINGA 247
MOUNTAIN 232
PROVINCE
CARAGA 2,303
AGUSAN DEL NORTE 538
AGUSAN DEL SUR 552
DINAGAT ISLANDS 137
SURIGAO DEL NORTE 521

26. Paper Ballot Used in
Manual Elections
 Voters write the names
of the candidates in the
ballot.
 Around 30 to 35 names
to be written on the ballot

27. official ballots
∗ Pre-printed names
of candidates
∗ 300/600 candidates
can be
accommodated
∗ 150/300 names per
side of ballot
∗ Precinct-specific
∗ Ensure rejection of
previously scanned
ballot

29. 29

30. field test/s
∗ 8 areas
∗ 2 for NCR
∗ 2 each (1 urban/1 rural)
∗ Luzon
∗ Visayas
∗ Mindanao
∗ To test system and transmission in the same
environment/conditions as on election day
∗ Mock elections

31. board of election inspectors
• One (1) BEI for every clustered precinct
• Three regular members
– Chairman
– Delivers ballot to voter
– Poll Clerk
– Third Member
• Support Staff
– Depends on number of precincts clustered
– To assist Poll Clerk and Third Member in managing
– List of Voters with Voting Records
– Book of Voters

32. testing & sealing procedures
at least three days before election day
• Public shall accomplish test ballots
• Ballots shall be manually counted and election returns
accomplished
• Same set of ballots that was manually counted shall be fed
into the counting machine
• Manual count shall be compared with the print-out of the
election returns
• If public is satisfied that the manual count is the same as
the automated count, the print-out and manually prepared
election returns shall be signed-off by the witnesses

33. testing & sealing procedures
at least three days before election day
∗ Machines shall be sealed without any
connection to transmission links
∗ Public shall be allowed to secure the polling
places where the counting machines are
installed
∗ The only time that the counting machines shall
be opened is on election day in the presence of
watchers

34. board of election inspectors
No. of Precincts No. of Support Total no. of
Clustered Staff personnel
(BEI + Support Staff)
0 none 3
2 none 3
3 1 4
4 2 5
5 3 6

35. New Procedures in Voting
1) Voting hours is from 7:00 am to 6:00 pm.
2) Maximum of 1,000 voters per clustered precinct.
3) One PCOS machine per clustered precinct.
4) Names of candidates are pre-printed in the ballot.
5) Voters will shade ovals opposite names of chosen
candidates.
6) Voters will personally insert/feed the ballots in the
ACM.

36. New Procedures in Voting
Before voting starts
 Show that ballot box is empty
 Turn on and initialize PCOS
 Print “Zero Report”
To show that there is no
entry/vote in machine’s memory

37. Paraan ng Pagboto
1
Magpakilala sa Board of
Election Inspectors (BEI)
sa presinto kung saan
kayo nakarehistro.
Matapos mapatunayan ang
inyong pagkakakilanlan,
bibigyan kayo ng balota na
may mga pangalan na ng
mga kandidato.
37

38. establishing identity of voter
∗ LIST OF VOTERS WITH VOTING RECORDS
∗ Photograph

39. establishing identity of voter

40. establishing identity of voter
∗ If identity cannot be established through
photograph
∗ Compare signatures
∗ Use Book of Voters
∗ Contains applications for registration
∗ Includes specimen signature of voter
∗ Other methods to challenge and establish identity

41. Paraan ng Pagboto
2
Gamit ang permanent
marker, itiman o i-shade
ng buo ang bilog na nasa
tabi ng pangalan ng
inyong mga napiling
kandidato.
41

42. Tamang Paraan ng Pag-shade sa balota.
   |
   
 

O kay!

43. Paraan ng Pagboto Pagboto
Paraan ng
3 Pagkatapos bumoto i-feed
ang nasagutang balota sa
Precinct Count Optical
Scan (PCOS) Machine. Ang
balota ay didiretso sa
transparent ballot box.
43

44. voting
∗ Voting period
∗ 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
∗ Unless there are voters waiting for their turn to vote
∗ Poll Clerk lists down names voters queuing
∗ Poll Clerk calls voter to cast ballot
∗ Voter who fails to appear after being called twice shall not
longer be allowed to vote
∗ Precinct set up
∗ At least 15-20 voters can cast ballot at any one time

45. • At close of polls
counting
– Perform close
function
• To prevent
additional ballots
from being inserted
– After close function,
PCOS automatically
• Starts counting
process
• Prints election
returns after
completion of
automated count
– Eight (8) copies

46. counting
• Insert transmission cable
– After printing first eight (8) copies of ER
• To eliminate doubts that the PCOS can be manipulated
remotely
• Perform electronic transmission function
• Print additional twenty-two (22) copies of ER
– Automatically performed by PCOS after completion of
transmission

47. ELECTION RETURNS
Copies of ER In National Positions In Local Positions
city/municipal BOC city/municipal BOC
First copy
Congress, directed to the
COMELEC
Second copy President of the Senate
COMELEC PBOC
Third copy
Fourth copy citizens arm who will citizens arm who will
conduct an unofficial count conduct an unofficial count
Fifth copy dominant majority party dominant majority party
Sixth copy dominant minority party dominant minority party
Seventh copy ballot box ballot box
Eight copy PBOC Posted on a wall in the polling
place or counting center

48. ELECTION RETURNS
Copies of ER In National Positions In Local Positions
Ninth to Eighteenth ten (10) accredited ten (10) accredited
copies major national parties major national parties
Nineteenth and two (2) accredited two (2) accredited
Twentieth copies major local parties major local parties
(21st to 25th copies)
Twenty-first to national broadcast or
national broadcast or
Twenty-fourth copies print media entities
print media entities
Twenty-fifth and local broadcast or (26th and 27th copies)
Twenty-sixth copies print media entities local broadcast or
print media entities
(28th to 30th copies)
Twenty-seventh to major citizens’ arms
Thirtieth copies major citizens’ arms

49. canvassing/consolidation
• Electronically transmitted results
– Used as basis for canvassing/consolidation and proclamation
of winning candidates for
• City/municipal officials
• Provincial officials
• Members, House of Representatives
• Senators and Party-list
– Congress will also receive electronically transmitted results
• Constitution authorizes the Congress to promulgate rules for
canvassing of results for President and Vice-President

50. Congress COMELE
National
C
Manual System
Board of
Canvassers
Physical
transport of Canvassing
Prov. COC
Provincial SOVM/C
Board of
Canvasser Physical
s transport
Mun./City COC
Municipal/City SOVP
Board of
Canvassers
Physical
transport
Election Returns
Precinct

51. Congress COMELE
National
C
Electronic
Board of
Canvassers
Physical
transport Transmission
Prov. COC
Provincial SOVM/C
Comelec
Board of
Central Back-up
Canvasser Physical Server
s transport
Advance Results/
Secured
Mun./City COC Monitoring Public
Municipal/City SOVP Website
Board of
Canvassers Server for
Physical
transport Dominant Majority/
Minority Parties,
Citizens Arm, KBP
Election Returns Advance Results
Precinct

52. security
∗ Security measures under a manual election system
still in place
∗ Strengthen security through automation
∗ Password
∗ PIN
∗ Digital signatures
∗ Encryption

53. security
∗ 128-bit encryption
∗ Same security system used by banks
∗ Random Encryption
∗ Temperature of machine
∗ Voltage
∗ Unique machine identity
∗ User identity
∗ No single/master decryption code

54. security
• Time needed to decrypt one precinct result will be
same amount of time needed to decrypt next precinct
result
• Transmission takes at most 2 minutes
• Copies for distribution
– 30 copies of election returns at the precinct level
– 30 copies of certificate of canvass at municipal level
– 14 copies of certificate of canvass at provincial level

55. security
• Audit Log
– Activities
– Time
– Date

56. security
∗ Paper Ballot
∗ Ballot digital image
∗ Data storage device
∗ Transmitted results
∗ Hard copies of election results

57. continuity plan
∗ Types of Systems Breakdown
∗ Fails to scan
∗ Able to scan but fails to print ER
∗ Able to print ER but fails to transmit
∗ Able to transmit but fails to consolidate

58. continuity plan
∗ Fails to scan
∗ Use spare PCOS
∗ Use PCOS of another precinct
∗ Wait for other PCOS to complete process in its precinct
∗ Get PCOS and reconfigure for next precinct
∗ Scan ballots
∗ If all PCOS fails
∗ Manual counting

59. continuity plan
• Able to scan but fails to print ER
– Use spare PCOS
– Use PCOS of another precinct
• Wait for other PCOS to complete process in its precinct
• Get PCOS and reconfigure for next precinct
• Use removable storage device of defective PCOS and let
replacement PCOS print ER
– If all PCOS fails
• Manual counting

60. continuity plan
• Able to print ER but fails to transmit
– Go to nearest precinct or polling center which has a
functioning transmission facility
– Use removable storage device of defective PCOS and let
the functioning facility transmit precinct results
– If all transmission facilities bog down
• Physically transport PCOS & removable storage device to
canvassing site
– In the presence of watchers and security escorts

61. continuity plan
• Able to transmit but fails to consolidate
∗ Use consolidation/canvassing system (CCS) of another
municipality/province
∗ Use the removable storage device and let functioning CCS
consolidate the results
∗ Provide back-up canvassing through the Central Server
∗ Print results and send the same to affected board of
canvassers
∗ Print results and constitute special board of canvassers to take
the place of the affected board

62. basic elements of elections
∗ People • Systems & Procedures
∗ Vote-buying – Misreading of ballots
– Unreadable
∗ Coercion handwriting
∗ Intimidation – Error
∗ Terrorism • Honest
• Deliberate
– Fraud
– Manufactured election
returns
– Tampering of election
results

63. successful implementation
∗ Vigilance of citizenry
∗ Cooperation
∗ Coordination
∗ Support

64. http://www.comelec.gov.ph
http://bagongbotante.ph