Report Ballot Rejections Slow Voting Process Amid Extreme Heat in Philippines Elections

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MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has reported that some automated counting machines are rejecting ballots due to the extreme heat during Monday's midterm elections. Comelec Chairperson George Garcia informed the media that while ballots are ultimately accepted after being reinserted, this issue is causing delays in the voting process.

 

"The machines, just a few of them, are heating up due to the temperature. They don't shut down, but they eject the ballot," Garcia explained in a mix of English and Filipino. This situation was exemplified when President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. experienced a brief complication with his ballot being initially rejected, before being accepted on a second attempt.

 

To mitigate these disruptions, Comelec has deployed "contingency machines" to affected locations, such as the precinct in New Era Elementary School, Quezon City, where ballots were reportedly ejected several times. "This extreme heat and humidity weren't anticipated today. It's extremely hot inside the precincts," Garcia remarked.

 

Furthermore, some voters, especially in priority polling places, are insisting on feeding their ballots into machines themselves, contrary to the standard protocol, which assigns this task to election staff. This insistence, particularly at places like BuCor where voters are typically persons deprived of liberty, is exacerbating the delays.

 

Garcia urged voters to remain patient amidst long queues and stressed the importance of staying hydrated while voting. He noted that the lines include many senior citizens and persons with disabilities who did not opt for early voting, thus joining the regular voting period from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

 

Around 68 million voters are expected to participate in these midterm elections, deciding key positions including 12 Senate seats, 63 party-list positions, and thousands of local government roles nationwide. Despite challenges, Comelec remains committed to ensuring all citizens have the opportunity to cast their votes.

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from PhilStar 2025-05-13

 

 

[hotsun]

Duterte really cared about the well being of that countrys people. They wont be getting any one like that in charge again for a very long time