POLL WATCHING GUIDE

MAY 09, 2016

AES MONITORING

DR. ARWIN SERRANO

CHAIRMAN, AMVATT & TAG
COORDINATOR, LUZON AREA

PARISH PASTORAL COUNCIL FOR RESPONSIBLE VOTING ( PPCRV )

ROLES OF THE PARISH PASTORAL COUNCIL FOR RESPONSIBLE VOTING

Assist the Commission in its voter registration drive to get qualified

citizens, including those from the vulnerable sectors of the society, to
register, to validate their registration by submitting their biometrics data
for the Commissions voter database, or to reactivate their registration;

Assisting the Commission on ensuring the integrity of the voters list

through activities including, but not limited to, house to house canvass in
areas identified by the Commission as pilot areas for voter registry audit;

Assist the Commission in its citizen and voter education and information
activities on the exercise of right to vote, including promoting awareness
and familiarity of voters with the chosen voting and counting system and
technology;

Assist the Commission in all stages of election preparation, particularly in

planning, procurement, testing, evaluation, election worker training,
logistics, preparation of machines and equipment, ballot and election
document printing, deployment and storage, by providing non-partisan
watchers, as the Commission may deem necessary;

Assist the Commission and its deputies, in the conduct and management
of elections by providing non-partisan citizen watchers at the polling
places, voting centers, and canvassing venues, and helping ensure that
the duly promulgated rule, procedures and instructions are followed; and
by assisting voters locate the polling place where they will be assigned to
vote;

OFFICIAL WATCHERS OF
CANDIDATES, POLITICAL PARTIES
AND OTHER GROUPS

CANDIDATES FOR SENATOR, CANDIDATES FOR

MEMBER, SANGGUNIANG PANLALAWIGAN OR
PANLUNGSOD OR BAYAN, or ARMM REGIONAL
LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY BELONGING TO THE
SAME
PARTY
OR
COALITION,
SHALL
If, BECAUSE OF LIMITED SPACE,
COLLECTIVELY
BE
ENTITLED
TO ONE
(1)
all
watchers
cannot
be
WATCHER
accommodated in the polling
precinct, preference shall
given to the Watchers of:

Dominant
Party
Dominant
Party; and

be

Majority
Minority

QUALIFICATIONS OF
WATCHERS

1. REGISTERED VOTER of the city or

municipality comprising the precinct
where he is assigned.
2. Of GOOD REPUTATION.
3. Has not been CONVICTED BY FINAL
JUDGMENT of any election offense or
any crime.

4. Knows how to
READ and WRITE
Filipino, English or a local dialect.
5. Not related within the FOURTH CIVIL
DEGREE
OF
CONSANGUINITY
OR
AFFINITY to the BEIs in the polling
place where he seeks appointment as
watcher.

APPOINTMENT OF
WATCHERS
NOT LATER THAN 24 APRIL
2016, independent candidates,
registered
parties,
organizations
or
coalitions
authorized by the Commission
shall SUBMIT to the Election
Officers concerned:
names

and signatures of their

DUTIES OF WATCHERS
1.Deliver their appointments to BEI Chairman
upon entering the polling place.
The

Chairman shall RECORD the names in the

minutes with a notation under their
signatures that the watchers are not
disqualified.

2. Not speak to any member of the BEI or to any

voter, or among themselves, in such a manner
that would distract the proceedings of the BEI.
3.

The Watchers representing the dominant

majority and dominant minority parties and
PPCRV, shall, IF AVAILABLE, affix their
signatures and thumbmarks on the Election

RIGHTS OF WATCHERS
1. WITNESS and INFORM
themselves of the
proceedings of the BEI.
2. TAKE NOTE of what they
may see or hear.
3. TAKE PHOTOGRAPHS of
the:
proceedings
and
incidents,
if
any,
during the voting
and counting of votes

NOTE:
CANNOT take
photographs of
ballots in
possession of
voters.

RIGHTS OF WATCHERS

File
a
protest
against
any
irregularity or violation of law
which they believe may have been
committed by:

the Board of Election Inspectors;

any member of the BEI; or
any
person
within
polling
precinct.

Obtain from the BEI a Certificate as

to the filing of such protest and/or

RESPONSIBILITIES OF
WATCHERS
Final Testing and Sealing From 02 to 06 May
2016, the Board of Election Inspectors will
convene in their assigned polling places to
test and seal the Vote Counting Machines
(VCM).
The Election Officer will post a notice of the
date, time and place of the Testing and
Sealing for each clustered precinct, not
later than 29 April 2016, in the bulletin
boards of his office and of the city
or
municipal hall, and in at least three (3)
conspicuous
places
in
the
city
or
municipality.

RESPONSIBILITIES OF
WATCHERS

1.

Watch out for the date, time and place

of the Final Testing and Sealing;

2.

Observe the procedure performed by

the Board of Election Inspectors;

3.

Note
that
the
VCM
has
been
ZEROED at the end of the process;
and

4.

Place seals on the wrapping of the

VCM.

RESPONSIBILITIES OF
WATCHERS
Election Day The Vote Counting Machines (VCM)
will be opened only on 09 May 2016, before the
voting starts, and in the presence of watchers, if any.
1.

Appear during the initialization of the VCM and

note that:
a.
b.
c.

2.

VCM box is sealed;

Ballot box is empty and thereafter locked with four (4)
plastic seals; and
Package of Official Ballots is duly sealed.

Watch the Voting Process

a.
b.
c.

Challenge Illegal Voters;

Challenge based on Illegal Acts;
Observe compliance to the Rules during Voting;

d.

Prohibitions on Voting:

Bring the Ballot, Ballot Secrecy Folder, Voting Receipt or

Marking Pen outside of the polling precinct;
Speak with anyone other than as herein provided while
inside the polling precinct;
Prepare his Ballot without using the Ballot Secrecy
Folder or exhibit its contents;
Fill his Ballot accompanied by another, except in the
case of an illiterate or person with disability;
Erase any printing from the Ballot, or put any
distinguishing mark on the Ballot;
Use of carbon paper, paraffin paper or other means of
making a copy of the contents of the Ballot, or
otherwise make use of any other scheme to identify his
vote, including the use of communication devices i.e.
digital cameras, cellular phones with camera or similar
gadgets while voting;
Intentionally tear or deface the ballot; and
Disrupt or attempt to disrupt the normal operation of

RESPONSIBILITIES OF
WATCHERS
3.Monitor compliance to the General Instructions
for Board of Election Inspectors until the close of
the Polls:
a.

Affix signature on the Election Returns; and

b.Obtain one (1) copy of the Election Returns

from the:
i.

First set of eight (8) copies prior

transmission; and

ii.

Second set of twenty-two (22) after

transmission.

RESPONSIBILITIES OF
WATCHERS
Random Manual Audit three (3) Clustered
Precincts per Legislative District randomly
selected will be subjected to manual audit.
1.

Serve as witness to the proceedings of

the Random Manual Audit;

2.

Verify compliance to the General

Instructions for Random Manual Audit
Team Members; and

3.

Obtain a copy of the Audit Return upon

close of the proceedings.

ORAL COUNCIL FOR RESPONSIBLE V

Thank You !!!!

DR. ARWIN A. SERRANO

Tel. No. 3994730
Cell No. 09265624888
09183589228 /
09328844499