The first completely paperless, fully automated elections in the Philippines

The first completely paperless,  fully automated elections in the Philippines  started in U.P. a couple  of years ago , and has been  successfully used in the University-wide student council elections for two years. No ballots, no election returns, no certificates of canvass, and only   a certified official voters’ list to ensure all those who vote are qualified and to prevent “flying voting” – an iron-clad safeguard. The counting is real-time.

This morning,  (Feb. 24), the Department of Journalism will use the same technology in a completely paperless, fully automated mock presidential elections from 8am to 7pm  at the lobby outside the CMC auditorium at 8am to 7pm. The mock polls will be based on the official student voters’ list of U.P. CMC.

The software of the mock presidential  polls was designed for the Department of Journalism  yesterday afternoon by Computer Engineering student  Rystrum  Gamonez, president of the University

of the Philippines Linux Users Group or UNPLUGGED a  university-wide student  organization  composed mainly of techies,  more popularly referred  to as “geeks”. He finished designing  it in one hour, and installed it in an  hour as he  based it on an original design earlier used for student council elections in U.P.

After the  mock presidential polls, the results will be signed and certified by three faculty members and two staffmembers. Winners and scores  will be proclaimed during  the CMC week in a media conference on March 2 at 10am at the CMC auditorium. After the proclamation of winners, and a brief discusson on voters’ preference, the Media Watch committe of  CMC will read a statement on “Demands on,  and expectations of the next President”. Then, a  CMC Student Council representative will read an “Open Letter to the Next President”  on the illegal arrest and detention of former CMC Student Councll Chair Jacquelyn Gonzales who was among those of the Morong 43.

The original design of the software was made  earlier by  UNPLUGGED members headed by Waldemar Bautista.  Elections in U.P. have  been completely paperless,  except for several sheets of  the voters’ list (or  an official  list of students eligible to vote). The official student voters’ list will also  be used in the mock polls to preserve the integrity of the exercise.

See you this morning! [this is your invite to observe today’s  mock polls (or  to participate in,  if you are a student)  and to join us on Tuesday  March 2 at the  media conference.]