that's my right point finger with an indelible ink.
From what I remembered six years ago, I didn’t get up early to vote (even if I signed up as a PPCRV volunteer). There was a different feeling during that time (for instance, I voted for the lesser evil because, well, I don’t think there was any other choice).
But on this day (which also happens to be my 29th birthday), I got up early. After signing up my well-thought Facebook status, I sorted my bed stuff and prepared.
Why not? It’s the first automated elections of my country. It’s also the first in Asia. Frankly speaking, despite all the apprehensions about the elections, I was excited.
We got to the assigned school at 6:40 am. I was relieved to see my name on my precinct because Comelec did not send me a sample ballot days before the election. I was also nervous because we did not get to see the voters’ list at least a day before. I got the number 17 as my turn to go inside the classroom.
The place was jam packed with people even before we came in. The usual round of people were there – the Board of Election Inspectors (teachers), poll watchers, and voters and more voters like me.
I got inside the classroom as soon as my number was called. That was also the time when I got to see up close the Precinct Count Optical Scan (PCOS) machine. I got to see a sample machine during an orientation a month ago, but there’s nothing like the real one.
So this is the thing that would make our lives easier – the machine that could help us eliminate questions and irregularities in the counting of our votes. Well, hello is the only thing that I thought at our first sight. I have waited for this.
It took me few minutes to finish shading my ballots (thanks to my cheat sheet). I kept on looking at the back side of my ballot because I was afraid the marker might be blotting. My ballot will be rejected if that happens. When I was done, I kept my cheat sheet, brought the 8 ½ by 25 inches ballot and stood up.
I walked towards the PCOS machine. I went in front of it and I confidently inserted my ballot to the machine.
“Scanning ballot... Scan complete...,” the PCOS machine said (through the LCD of course).
“Verifying ballot......................”
Okay, it’s really taking long. It’s an approximate of eight seconds, but it was scaring me. What if the PCOS machine suddenly vomits and releases my ballot I’ll be doomed. I was already thinking of what to say to the PCOS when suddenly, the LCD flashed a new set of texts.
“Congratulations! Your vote has been registered.”
I was the happiest girl in the room after the PCOS machine accepted my ballot. I got out of the room immediately after the BEI placed an indelible ink at my right pointer finger. Civic duty fulfilled!
As of this writing, the counting of the election returns has reached to millions. It was unthinkable; I was used to the manual counting of votes. It takes weeks and weeks before we get to know the winner. Honestly, i don’t care who’s on the top of the game for now; I was amazed at the numbers. I have kept on pinching myself; I could not be dreaming. I was seeing a new dawn for my country. And I was thankful that at 29, I got to see and experience it
There are still a lot more to improve in the whole process of the elections (long cue was just too much; there were only three BEIs per clustered precinct instead of six, PCOS machines not working). But the big turnout of voters this year was a testament that each of us still believe in the power of making change. Making a difference does not need to be doing something big – it could simply mean having a dirty pointer finger for days.
It’s truly better automated.
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