Technical issues disrupt 2025 Philippine elections voting
Technical issues have repeatedly surfaced in various areas during the 2025 Philippine elections, causing delays and voter concerns. The Legal Network for Truthful Elections (LENTE) reported that these problems mainly involve the automated counting machines (ACMs), which play a crucial role in fast and accurate vote tallying.
One common issue is with the sensitive scanners of the ACMs, which often reject ballots. When this happens, the Electoral Board must pause voting operations to clean the scanners. This leads to long queues and frustrated voters waiting to cast their ballots.
Scanner problems across multiple provinces
In Zamboanga del Sur, a precinct experienced ballot rejections starting at 5:30 a.m., and the problem remained unresolved more than an hour later. Voters were allowed to fill out ballots but were told their papers would be temporarily set aside until the machines were fixed.
Similar issues with the ACMs were reported in voting centers located in Ilocos Sur, Cagayan, Negros Oriental, Bohol, Aklan, and Lanao Del Norte. These incidents highlight the need for better maintenance and quick troubleshooting to prevent disenfranchisement.
Other voting machine malfunctions and ballot concerns
In Santa Cruz, Laguna, a Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) machine jammed but was promptly repaired by the electoral board. Meanwhile, some voters mistakenly received more than one ballot. LENTE explained this could be due to the thinness of the ballot papers, which tend to stick together.
To address this, LENTE urged Electoral Board Chairpersons to be extra careful when handing out ballots, ensuring each voter gets only one. This simple step can reduce confusion and help maintain election integrity.
Campaign violations and procedural reminders
Aside from technical difficulties, LENTE noted campaign violations near polling sites. In CALABARZON, a vehicle bearing a candidate’s campaign tarpaulin was parked inside a voting center’s premises. Similarly, in San Jacinto, Pangasinan, some individuals distributed campaign flyers just outside polling areas.
Flyers were also handed out to Indigenous People voters outside a polling center in San Jose Del Monte City, Bulacan. These acts risk influencing voters and violate election rules designed to keep the process fair.
Despite most voting centers starting preparations on time, LENTE emphasized the need to quickly resolve technical and procedural issues. Doing so will help avoid disenfranchisement and boost public trust in the electoral process.
For more updates on the 2025 Philippine elections, voters are encouraged to stay informed and report any irregularities they witness on election day.