10 Steps to Prevent Election Fraud

10 steps to prevent election fraud
By Leila B. Salaverria
Philippine Daily Inquirer
April 22, 2010

MANILA, Philippines—The poll watchdog Kontra Daya has laid out 10 steps, which voters can take to ensure clean, honest and orderly voting on May 10.

"The most effective safeguard against fraud and failure of elections is an enlightened, prepared and observant people. On election day, we are calling on you to be part of the watch against cheating and failure of elections," the group said in a statement.

The 10 things that voters should do or keep in mind are:

1. Look for their assigned precincts and names on the voters' list early;

2. Check if their ballots are clear and free of marks before accepting them from the Board of Election Inspectors. They should reject ballots with marks or dirt because the counting machines may be unable to read them. Also, spoiled ballots cannot be replaced.

3. Voters should make sure that the BEI scans their ballots to show the ultraviolet mark, as these marks would prove the ballots' authenticity.

4. When the counting machine rejects the ballot, the voter has four tries to insert it again. Voters can also fix ambiguous marks or the improper shading of ovals. The BEI should also explain why the ballot has been rejected. If a machine has rejected several ballots, it has to be replaced.

5. Voters should not over-vote, or choose more candidates than necessary for a position, lest their votes be nullified. They should also make sure that they have shaded the ovals next to the names of the chosen bets fully.

6. If a precinct runs out of ballots, a voter can still cast his vote in the next nearest precinct. The BEI should accompany the voter after giving the latter a certification.

7. Make sure that the BEI is the only one that should be handing out the ballots. Local officials, Comelec personnel or Smartmatic technicians should not interfere in the process. Nobody else could also tinker with the counting machines.

8. Voters should see to it that they sign the voters list at the start, and should be marked with indelible ink at the end.

9. Make sure that voting starts at 7 a.m. Voters who are already in line or are within 30 meters of the polling place at 6 p.m., the standard deadline for voting, would still be allowed to vote.

10. Make sure that the police, the military, para-military forces, security guards, barangay officials, armed men and supporters of politicians who are campaigning are barred from the polling precincts. The BEI should send them out.