High-tech ARMM polls - ‘Smashing success’

Comelec Chair Jose Melo said 50 to 60 percent of the 1.5 million registered voters cast ballots in 1,901 precincts equipped with two sets of computers each where they either blotted circles beside the names of their candidates or touched screens for their selections.

Results of the vote for governor, vice governor and 24 members of the regional legislative assembly are expected to be announced on Wednesday.

Melo said he was “very happy” with the results of the landmark polls—the first in the country where computers were used to cast ballots. If successful, the system will be used in the 2010 national elections.

Sen. Richard Gordon, chair of the Senate committee on electoral reforms, said voters in Maguindanao and Shariff Kabunsuan were really eager to try the new technologies.

“It was a smashing success. It’s something to look forward to. It shows that Filipinos can conduct clean and honest elections,” Gordon said in a briefing with Melo at the Comelec.

The Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting Monday said it was also satisfied with the conduct of the balloting in the region dubbed as the “cheating capital” of the Philippines.

Henrietta de Villa, PPCRV chair, said Monday’s elections were a definite improvement compared to past exercises.

“So far, comparatively, I see an improvement. With the automated machines, we did not see voters who had difficulty with it because they tried to study the machines beforehand,” De Villa said.

“Definitely the anomalies were lessened because the human handling was also lessened,” she said in an interview.

Excellent, Comelec says of high-tech ARMM polls
By Julie Alipala, Kristine L. Alave
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 02:20:00 08/12/2008
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20080812-154048/
Excellent-Comelec-says-of-high-tech-ARMM-polls