The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Tuesday said the new automated counting machines (ACMs) will count ballots that were marked or shaded by 15 percent, but it will nonetheless encourage voters to shade their ballots by at least 80 to 100 percent in the coming May 2025 elections.
Comelec Chairman George Garcia said the poll body may adopt a new policy to make the 15-percent threshold mark on the ballot valid. He made the remarks during the end-to-end testing of the automated elections system at Palacio del Gobernador, saying the new rule will be implemented starting in next year’s polls.
“We trust the system so much, that’s why we are recommending to the En banc to lower the threshold. Before, the 50-percent threshold was an issue that some candidates used to file a protest,” Garcia said.
He said the 15 percent threshold would at least give the seniors, persons with disabilities, and others with similar difficulties to have their votes counted.
The poll chairman said the new vote counting machines are better equipped to read any marks, including check marks. However, he still discouraged voters from doing so: “It should really be shading and not checking.”
“What’s important is the intent of the voter, and no voter should be disenfranchised… The 15 percent threshold is really, to ensure that every vote will be counted,” Garcia said.
He said the policy should first be officially approved by the Comelec en banc, which will hold its regular session on Wednesday.
