THE NEWLY deployed automated counting machines (ACMs) for the midterm elections caused significant delays at polling precincts nationwide after encountering technical glitches on election day.
The machines — leased from South Korean firm Miru Systems — reportedly overheated and rejected voters’ ballots, disrupting the voting process in several areas.
As of 6:30 p.m., 49% of the 1,140 verified election violations and errors involved ACM malfunctions, according to data from poll watchdog Vote Report PH.
The ACMs replaced the Commission on Elections’ (Comelec) vote counting machines (VCMs), which faced several issues, including paper jams and ballot rejections. During the 2022 national elections, the Comelec reported 1,310 VCM malfunctions.
Rejected, invalidated ballots
On Monday morning, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. urged the Board of Electoral Inspectors to assist with the reinsertion of his ballot after he experienced a malfunction.
Marikina mayoral candidate Stella Quimbo also faced delays casting her vote due to a paper jam in one of the ACMs at SSS Elementary School in Marikina City.
House Speaker Martin Romualdez was also affected when his ballot was rejected by an ACM at the V&G Dela Cruz Memorial School in Tacloban City. The machine rejected his ballot three times before a Comelec personnel assisted him.
Senatorial candidate Jocelyn “Alyn” Andamo of the Makabayan bloc also had her ballot deemed invalid for overvoting, despite having shaded only one party list.
Overheating ACMs were also reported in several precincts across the country. One machine from Old Cabalan Integrated School in Olongapo City had to be replaced after overheating, while a similar issue occurred with a scanner at Pasay City West High School, which became functional again after a few minutes, according to the Alliance of Concerned Teachers party-list group.
To prevent overheating due to high temperatures, ACMs in Quezon City’s Christ the King Seminary Covered Court were lined with electric fans.
Transmission of election returns from precincts to the Comelec’s servers in Manila began after the voting period closed at 7 p.m. Justin Jacob S. Urag
