Comelec to ensure zero snags in Nov. 23 special polls

MANILA, Philippines - To prevent a repeat of the technical snags in the May 10 polls, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) will conduct the final testing and sealing (FTS) of the precinct count optical scan (PCOS) machines to be used in the Nov. 13 special elections.

In Resolution 9084, the Comelec said the FTS would no longer be conducted in the polling precincts as was done in the May 10 elections.

“At least three days before the Nov. 13, 2010 Special Elections, the Board of Election Inspectors (BEI) shall convene in the designated testing and sealing area in the city/municipality to test and seal the PCOS machines,” the Comelec said. The agency is preparing around 900 PCOS machines for the special polls.

Failure of elections was declared in Basilan and several areas of Lanao del Sur because of an upsurge of election-related violence.

FTS is conducted on the compact flash (CF) cards installed in the counting machines to determine accuracy and to validate security features. The cards contain the name of candidates, number of registered voters and precinct information of a particular precinct.