PPCRV suggests stamping pens to avoid ballot smudges in next polls
PPCRV spokesperson Ana Singson floated the idea during a press briefing, as the church-based watchdog logged 271 ballot-related incidents during the last May polls.
Of these incidents, 114 are rejected ballots due to ink smudges and wet ink stains from the marker, causing dirty scanners and multiple machine stoppages.
'Perhaps we should review the quality control, what qualities were used, and what tests were used,' Singson said.
'Instead of using a marker, use a stamping pen. That stamp would be the exact same size as the oval, fully customized, so wala nang problema about the threshold,' she suggested.
PPCRV earlier recommended bringing back the 25% shading threshold in the next polls, as it received reports of mismatches between the actual votes and the receipts from the automated counting machines (ACM).
Commission on Elections (Comelec) chairperson George Garcia said the agency is looking into the smudging issue, along with other election-related concerns.
He noted that the markers used for this year's election are water-based, unlike in the previous years, where they were oil-based.
'Ang problema pag oil-based (marker) dapat makapal ang papel. Pag water-based naman, hindi siya nagba-blot sa likod pero hindi agad madali matuyo,' Garcia said in an ambush interview.
(The problem is that oil-based markers should be used on a thicker paper. If the marker is water-based, it cannot blot, but it's longer to dry.)
He added Comelec is also looking into using 160-grams-per-square-meter-thick ballot papers once again for the next election, noting that 90 gsm paper was used in this year's polls.
To garner more prospective suppliers for the 2028 elections, Garcia announced the Comelec will conduct a vendors fair in February 2026. —RF, GMA Integrated News
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
GMA Network
5 hours ago
- GMA Network
Marcos to sign law postponing 2025 BSKE in August
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is set to sign into law a proposed bill seeking to postpone the 2025 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections (BSKE), the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said Friday. Comelec chairperson George Erwin Garcia said Malacañang informed the poll body of the law signing to be held on Tuesday, August 12. 'In-inform po tayo ng Palasyo na magkaron ng formal signing ng law on BSKE fixing of term and postponement sa August 12 at 2 p.m.,' said Garcia. (The Palace informed us of the formal signing of a law fixing the BSKE term and postponing the elections on August 12 at 2 p.m.) When asked when President Ferdinand ''Bongbong'' Marcos Jr. will sign the bill, Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Atty. Claire Castro said the public should wait for the Chief Executive's action on the matter. ''Okay, kung hindi ako nagkakamali, parang August 14 po ang pinaka-deadline, so hintayin na lamang po kung ano po ang magiging aksyon ng Pangulo patungkol po dito sa bill na iyan,'' Castro said. (If I'm not mistaken, the deadline is on August 14. So let's just wait for the action of the President as regards this bill.) The 2025 BSKE is initially set on December 1, 2025. However, the Congress, in June, ratified a bicameral conference committee report seeking to extend the term of office for the barangay and SK officials from three to four years, and postpone the elections to the first Monday of November 2026. Garcia earlier said there were 'no indication' from Malacañang the proposed measure will be vetoed despite the pending decision of Marcos. The Comelec launched the ten-day nationwide voter registration for the 2025 BSKE on Friday, August 1.
GMA Network
5 hours ago
- GMA Network
Comelec eyes over 100,000 IP members registered for BSKE 2025
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is targeting to register more than 100,000 Indigenous Peoples (IPs) for the 2025 barangay and sangguniang kabataan elections (BSKE). Comelec Chairperson George Erwin Garcia made the remarks on Friday as he visited some IP communities in Mabalacat, Pampanga for the launch of the ten-day nationwide voter registration for the 2025 BSKE, Luisito Santos reported over Super Radyo dzBB. According to Garcia, the poll body set up satellite registration sites near the communities to encourage the IPs to register to vote, adding the proximity of the voter registration sites to their residences resulted to a low registration turnout. The Comelec launched the voter registration for the BSKE on Friday, August 1 and will run until August 10. Meanwhile, the poll body said that of the 68 million voters who registered for the 2025 May elections, at least 500,000 were IP members. — BAP, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
9 hours ago
- GMA Network
Comelec launches voter registration for 2025 BSKE
Voters check a map of polling precincts at Camarin Elementary School in Caloocan City on Monday, October 30, 2023. LUISITO SANTOS/Super Radyo dzBB The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Friday kicked off the ten-day nationwide voter registration for the 2025 barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections (BSKE). According to the poll body, applicants may register from Monday to Sundays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at any satellite registration sites or at their respective Comelec office of the election officer (OEO). In Metro Manila, registrants may apply in any participating Register Anywhere Program (RAP) sites. The Comelec reiterated that there will be no transfer of local registration records during the voter registration period. However, other types of applications will be accepted including: registration change of name and status correction of entries reactivation of registration records inclusion of registration records reinstating of name in the list of voters The following may also be processed: applications for reactivation, reactivation with change or correction, reactivation with updating of records, updating of records of person with disability (PWD), senior citizen, and members of indigenous peoples (IPs) and indigenous cultural communities (ICCs), and transfer from overseas to local only. The Comelec previously announced that the 10-day nationwide registration for BSKE will start from August 1 to 10, 2025. The initial schedule in July was suspended following the ratification of a bicameral conference committee report seeking to extend the term of office for barangay and SK officials from three to four years, and postpone the elections to the first Monday of November 2026. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has yet to decide whether to approve or veto the proposed measure. However, the poll body earlier said there has been "no indication" from Malacañang that the bill would be vetoed. The 2025 BSKE is set on December 1, 2025. — VDV, GMA Integrated News
