Comelec junks online voting for 2013 polls

MANILA, Philippines - The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has junked its plan to use the Internet for the 2013 midterm elections, Comelec Commissioner Armando Velasco said yesterday.

Velasco, chairman of the Committee on Overseas Absentee Voting (COAV), said, “2013 is near; it’s not feasible. The Internet registration and voting will not be available.”

The Overseas Absentee Voting law provides that only ballots cast and mailed ballots received by the Philippine embassies, consulates and other Foreign Service establishments shall be counted.

The Comelec approved several years ago the holding of OAV in Singapore using the Internet voting system by employing the services of the Spain-based Scytl Technologies.

Under the system, voters will receive a pin code from election officers based in Singapore and will be able to access a list of voters via the Internet. After selecting their candidates, they will be able to toggle their choices if ever they wish to change them. Once it is sent, it will be impossible to change it again as it is deemed final.

But the Comelec eventually withdrew the implementation of the plan for fear of legal cases being filed against the Internet voting system.

The poll body used the system in July 2007 in “non-binding” elections in Singapore.

Yet, Velasco said the Comelec would continue to explore the possibility of using the system in future elections.

“We are just starting with the study with the amendment of the law so we can use the Internet. We are really considering the amendment to the law to include Internet voting and registration,” he said.