Comelec to use 85,000 counting machines for 2019 polls

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) would be using 85,000 Vote Counting Machines (VCM) for the conduct of the May 2019 polls, a Comelec official said Friday.

Comelec Director Teopisto Elnas, Jr., Deputy Project Director of the Project Management Office for the May 13 polls, said that the number of VCMs is less than the 92,000 VCMs used during the May 2016 elections because the number of registered voters allowed to cast their votes in one clustered precinct has been increased from 800 per clustered precinct to 1,000 per clustered precinct.

“Ganito ang nangyari, we decided to purchase the VCMs [for the May 2019 polls], at tumaas rin ang [bilang ng] registered voters natin. Hindi puwede na ganun pa rin ang number of voters per precinct,” Elnas told reporters.

“Hind na kakayanin with the same allocation,” Elnas said.

On top of the 85,000 VCMs, Elnas said that another 7,000 VCMs will be on standby as a contingency measure.

“Pre-logic and accuracy tests on VCMs are done, and VCMs are already in our regional and local hubs pending the final testing and sealing in different poling precincts from May 6 to 10 where these [VCMs] will be in place until election day,” Elnas said.

The ballots, on the other hand, would be under the custody of the city and municipal officers by May 4.

The Comelec printed 63 million ballots, including those for testing. The number of registered voters is at 61 million or seven million more than the 2016 elections.

The VCMs will be plugged to a power outlet by default, but each VCM also has a back up battery which will last for 16 hours in case of a power outage.

The 2019 polls is set on May 13, and the voting schedule is from 6 am to 6 p.m. — MDM, GMA News