PRELIMINARIES TO THE VOTING

The EB shall:
• Meet at the polling place not later than 5:00 in the morning of Election Day.
• Ensure that the VCM box and the ballot box are inside the polling place.
• Set-up the polling place.
• Post one (1) copy of the PCVL of each precinct in the cluster, near or at the door of the
polling place, preferably the pages/sheets are spread out to give free access to voters who are
checking their names in the list, if there is space.
The EB shall:
Show to the watchers and the public present that the:
1. VCM box is sealed;
2. Ballot box is empty and thereafter, lock with four (4) seals;
3. Package of official ballots is duly sealed, and thereafter, break the seal;
4. check the quantity and ballot IDs for the official ballots assigned to the clustered
precinct to check if the quantity is correct, based from the number of registered
voters and whether the ballot IDs are all the same;
5. Remove the paper seal of the VCM box:
 Open the VCM box.
 Check whether the following are inside the VCM box:
 VCM;
 Power cord of the VCM and battery cable;
 Main SD and back-up SD cards already installed;
 Remaining rolls of thermal paper inside the VCM box;
 The three (3) Personal Identification Numbers (PINs) for operating the VCM; three (3) PINs
for the digital signature; the three (3) iButtons; and three (3) PINs for re-zeroing;
 The checklist of the contents of the VCM box;
 The USB modem with SIM card and one (1) contingency SIM card (Smart/Globe/Sun);
 The five (5) cleaning sheets;
 Eighteen (18) Marking Pens; and
 One (1) sealing sticker to be used at the end of Election Day to close the VCM box.
6. Retrieve the iButtons and security PINs from the VCM box and distribute the same
among themselves. The RE-ZERO PINs shall remain inside the VCM box.

7. Retrieve the VCM from its box.

8. Show to the public that the slots labeled "A" and "B" containing the main SD and
back-up SD cards, respectively, are sealed.

9. Follow the Election Day steps 1 to 12 of the VCM manual.

If the quantity of the ballots is not accurate and of there are ballots of different IDs:
 Record in Minutes and report the matter to the EO, wo shall then submit a report to the Command Center.

If there are ballots of different IDs:

If the destination of the official ballots with different ballot ID is within the voting center:
 the DESO shall cause the delivery of the ballots to the EB concerned;

If the destination of the official ballots with different ballot ID is in another voting center but within the same
municipality/city:
 the EO shall cause the delivery to its destination;

If the destination of the official ballots with different ballot ID is to another municipality/city but within the same
province:
 the PES shall cause its delivery and submit report to Command Center;

If the destination of the official ballots with another ballot ID is to another municipality/city of another province:
 the concerned RED shall arrange for the delivery of the ballot to its destination and report the matter to the
Command Center;
In all instances of delivery/ transfer of official ballots, the EB shall:

 Announce the official delivery/transfer of the official ballots;

 Request the watchers and representative of the citizens’ arms to accompany the
DESO/EO/PES/RED or their representative to witness the delivery/transfer;

 Coordinate with the PNP/AFP to secure the delivery/transfer if the delivery/transfer involves
different voting centers municipalities/cities/provinces/ regions;

 In case the delivery/transfer is not feasible, concerned field official shall report the matter to the
Command Center for appropriate action.
In case, the number of official ballots are less than the
number of registered voters, and there are voters
waiting for their turn to vote, the EB shall:
IN NON – VRVM PILOT AREAS:
• Establish the identity of the voter through the EDVCL
• Prepare the list of verified list of names of voters not accommodated due to lack of official ballots;
• Inform the DESO, who shall coordinate with the EBs of the other voting places with available ballots to
allow the voters to cast their votes;
• Instruct said voters to vote in another polling place within the same voting center through the guidance of
DESO/DESO SS;
• Record the Minutes, the names of voters;
• The EB with available official ballots shall also record the names of the voters who were allowed to vote in
their assigned clustered precinct pursuant to this Resolution. Attached to the minutes, the verified list of
voters;
 In case, the number of official ballots are less
than the number of registered voters, and there
are voters waiting for their turn to vote, the EB
shall:
IN VRM PILOT AREAS
• Conduct the verification of voters; and
• The verification receipt shall be presented to the EB with available official
ballots before the voters are allowed to vote.
 MANNER OF VOTING
VOTER shall:
1. Using the marking pen provided and the secrecy folder, shade the oval of
desired candidate/s or party;
2. Approach the VCM, insert ballot in the ballot entry slot;
3. The EB shall apply indelible ink to the voter’s right forefinger nail or any
other nail if there be no forefinger nail, and give the VVPAT to the voter
for review;
The EB shall ensure that only the voter can read the VVPAT and advise the voter
that bringing of the VVPAT outside of the polling place shall constitute as an
election offense;
The EB shall ensure that all Official Ballots are removed from the box before the
same is used as a VVPAT receptacle. The VVPAT receptacle shall be properly sealed
using the packaging tape, on which the EB and watcher’s if any, shall affix their
names and signatures.
The EB shall instruct the voter to go near the VVPAT receptacle beside the VCM,
and verify the votes as appearing on the VVPAT, drop the same in the VVPAT
receptacle and leave the polling place;
IN CASE AN OBJECTION IS RAISED
BY THE VOTER ON HOW THE VCM
READS THE BALLOT:
The chairperson shall:
1. Instruct the voter to affix his signature at the back of the VVPAT;
2. Note the specific objection in the Minutes; and
3. Attach the VVPAT to the Minutes (copy for the ballot box).
NOTE:
 The objection shall be raised before the VVPAT is dropped in the VVPAT receptacle;
 The filing of frivolous objections shall constitute an election offense. For this purpose, the EB is allowed to
administer oaths so that if the protest is frivolous, falsification or perjury charges may be filed;
 REJECTED BALLOTS
(Procedure)
Ballots may be rejected by the VCM During the scanning. There will be 3 different types of
messages when the VCM rejects a ballot:
• Misread Ballot – when a ballot has not been scanned properly. For this purpose, the EB
shall allow the voter to re-feed the ballot four (4) times in four (4) different orientations;
• Previously Read Ballot – When a ballot with the same ID number was already scanned;
and
• Invalid Ballot – when a ballot is not configured to the VCM. The voter shall return the
ballot to the chair person who shall in turn, check if the ballot ID of the rejected ballot
corresponds to the cluster precinct number. If it does not match, the chairperson shall mark
the ballot with the word “REJECTED” and place the same inside the envelope for rejected
ballots. The chairperson shall then issue the correct ballot to the voter.
If the ballot is still rejected, the voter shall return the ballot to the chairperson who shall:
1. Distinctly mark the back thereof as “REJECTED”;
2. Require all the members to sign at the back thereof; and
3. Place the rejected ballot inside the envelope for Rejected Ballots.

 No replacement ballot shall be issued to the voter whose ballot is rejected by the VCM except
if the rejection of the ballot is not due to the fault of the voter.
 Any party objecting to the rejection of the ballot shall reduce his objection in writing, which
the EB shall attached to and note in the Minutes.
 Closing of Polls; Counting of Votes and
transmission of Results; Printing of
Reports and Shutting Down the VCMs;
• After all the voters have cast their votes, DV and EAPP ballots if any have
been batch fed, the EB shall close the voting by performing the procedures
laid in the Technical Manual.
 WHO MAY VOTE?
 ALL REGISTERED VOTERS whose names appear in the EDCVL (Election
Day Computerized Voters List)
 Unless:
1. Voter transferred to another district/municipality/city
2. Voter has died;
3. The voter’s registration record was deleted based on Automated Fingerprint
Identification System’s (AFIS) result, as approved by the Election Registration
Board (ERB); or
4. The voter has availed of the Local Absentee Voting 16
 CHALLENGE AGAINST
ILLEGAL VOTERS
WHO MAY CHALLENGE AGAINST ILLEGAL VOTERS:
1. Any voter; or
2. Watcher
GROUNDS:
1) Being not registered;
2) Using the name of another; or
3) Suffering from an existing disqualification
 PROCESS OF CHALLENGING
ILLEGAL VOTES
The EB shall determine the truthfulness of the ground for the challenge by:
• Requiring from the voter proof of his registration, identity or qualification;
• In case the identity of the voter is challenged, the EB shall identify the
voter’s specimen signature and photo in the EDVCL;
• Any member of the EB may identify under oath a voter personally known to
the former, which act of identification shall be recorded in the Minutes
 CHALLENGE BASED ON
CERTAIN ILLEGAL ACT
Any voter or watcher may challenge any person offering to vote on the ground that
the voter:
a) Receive or expects to receive, paid, offered or promise to pay, contributed, offered
or promised to contribute money or anything of value as consideration for
his/her vote or for the vote of another;
b) Made or received a promise to influence the giving or withholding of any such
vote; or
c) Made a bet or is interested directly or indirectly in a bet that depends upon the
results of the election.
 REMEDY OF THE
CHALLENGED VOTER
• The challenged voter may take an oath before the EB that
he has not committed any of the acts alleged in the
challenge;
 WHAT HAPPENS AFTER
TAKING AN OATH?
• The challenge shall be DISMISSED and the VOTER SHALL BE
ALLOWED TO VOTE.
• In case the voter refuses to take such oath, the challenge shall be sustained,
and the voter shall not be allowed to vote.
 RECORD OF CHALLENGES
AND OATHS
• The EB shall record in the minutes all challenges and oaths taken, and its
decision in each case.
 RULES TO OBSERVED
DURING THE VOTING
a) Voters shall vote in the order of their arrival in the polling place. Giving numbers
to the voters to determine their sequence of voting is strictly prohibited;
b) No watcher shall enter the place reserved for the voters and the EB, or mingle and
talk with the voters;
c) No person carrying firearm or any other deadly weapon, shall enter the polling
place
d) There shall be no crowding of voters and disorderly behavior inside the polling
place; and
e) The ballot box shall remain locked during the voting.
 PERSONS ALLOWED INSIDE THE
POLLING PLACE
1. Members of the EB and support staff, if any;
2. Watchers but only in the space reserved for them;
3. COMELEC representatives;
4. DESO Technical Support Staff assigned in the voting center;
5. EAPP Support Staff;
6. Voters CASTING their votes;
7. Voters WAITING to cast their votes;
8. Jail/prison escorts of detainee-voters;
9. Others specially authorized by COMELEC
 PERSONS NOT ALLOWED INSIDE
THE POLLING PLACE AND WITHIN
5O-METER RADIUS
1. AFP/PNP officer/member
2. Peace officer/armed person (extralegal forces, CAFGU, barangay tanods, or other
similar forces or para-military forces, including special forces, security guards, and
special policemen);
3. All other kinds of armed/unarmed extra-legal forces;
4. Any barangay and SK official whether elected or appointed;
 The EB may order in writing the detail of PNP for the its protection or protection of the election documents
and paraphernalia. The said policemen or peace officer shall stay OUTSIDE of polling place within a radius
of 30 meters near enough to be called by the EB. Such Order by the EB shall be entered in the Minutes
 PROHIBITION ON VOTING
IT SHALL BE UNLAWFUL FOR A VOTER TO:
1. Bring the ballot, secrecy folder, or marking pen outside polling place
2. Speak with anyone;
3. Prepare the voter’s ballot without using ballot secrecy folder or to exhibit its contents;
4. Fill out the ballot accompanied by another except illiterates/PWD/senior citizens;
5. Erase/put distinguishing marks in the ballot;
6. Use camera, cellphones to copy the contents of the ballot;
7. Intentionally tear or deface the ballot; or
8. Disrupt/attempt to disrupt the normal operations of the VCM.
 PREPARATION OF BALLOTS
FOR ILLITERATES, PWDs, and
SENIOR CITIZENs
• No voter shall be allowed to vote as an illiterate, PWD, or SC unless such fact
is indicated in the EDVCL;
• If so, such voter may be assisted in the preparation of the ballot, in the
following order:
1. Relatives within the 4th civil degree of consanguinity or affinity;
2. Person of his confidence who belongs to the same household as that of the voter;
3. Any member of the EB;
 GUIDELINES IN ASSISTING AN
ILLITERATE, PWD, or SC
• All persons assisting must be of voting age;
• No person, except the members of the EB, may assist an illiterate, PWD or
SC more than 3 times;
• In all cases, the poll clerk shall first verify from the illiterate, PWDs, or SCs
whether said voters have authorized a person to help them cast their votes.
 EXPRESS LANE FOR PWD, SC,
HEAVILY PREGNANT WOMEN,
ESCORTED DETAINEE
• PWDs, Senior Citizens, heavily pregnant women, escorted detainee and IP
voters shall be afforded an express lane and be allowed to vote as soon as
they arrive.
• There shall be a sign inside the polling place indicating the location of the
express lane, and who can avail of it.
 PROHIBITION AGAINST
PREMATURE ANNOUNCEMENT
OF VOTING
• The members of the EB are prohibited from announcing the following
matters during the voting period:
1. Whether a certain registered voter has already voted or not;
2. Number of registered voters who have already voted or failed to vote thus far; or
3. Any other fact tending to show or showing the state of the polls;
 DISPOSITON OF UNUSED BALLOTS
After the voting, the Chairperson, in the presence of other members of the EB shall:
a) Record in the Minutes the quantity of unused ballots;
b) Tear the unused ballots in half lengthwise;
c) Place on half of the torn ballots in the Envelope for Rejected Ballots, Half of Torn
Unused Official Ballots and other Half of Torn Unused Official Ballots (CEF No. A15),
and submit the said envelope to the EO for safekeeping; and
d) Place the other half in another Envelope for Rejected Ballots, Half of Torn Unused
Official Ballots (CEF No. A15), and then deposit the same inside the ballot box, such fact
shall be entered in the Minutes.
 Disposition of Election Returns
 After printing the election returns (ERs), the EB shall sign the affix thumbmarks in the
certification portion of all copies of the ERs.
 Thereafter, the Eb shall post one (1) copy of the ERs in a conspicuous inside the polling
place.
 The EB shall individually fold the ERs. The first eight (8) shall be sealed with serially
numbered paper seals and placed in their respective envelopes (CEF No. A17).
 All envelopes containing the ERs shall be sealed with serially numbered paper seals.
 The EB shall also affix their signatures on the paper seals and envelopes on the space
provided. The watchers present shall likewise affix their signatures, giving preference to the
dominant majority and minority parties and Accredited Citizens’ arm.
Disposition of VCM, Ballot Boxes, Election
Returns and Other Documents
When the counting of votes has ended and the results of the election in the
polling place have already been announced, the EB shall:
Place inside the Ballot box the following:
 Sealed Envelopes containing:
 Copy of printed ERs intended for the Ballot Box;
 Copy of the Minutes intended for the ballot box;
 Half of the torn unused Official Ballots and Rejected Ballots, if any, and
 VVAPT Receptacle
Disposition of VCM, Ballot Boxes, Election
Returns and Other Documents
The EB shall:
Close the flap of the ballot box with security seal. The EB shall affix their
signatures on the tape, and require the watchers also affix their signatures;
Turn-over the box containing the VCM and its peripherals to the logistics
provider;
Deliver the ballot box, accompanied by watchers, to the city / municipal
treasurer.
 Disposition of VCM, Ballot Boxes, Election
Returns and Other Documents
The EB shall:
Deliver to the EO the following documents or papers:
 EDCVL;
 PCVL
 Sealed envelope containing:
 Copy of the Minutes intended for the Commission (CEF No. A11);
 Other Half of Torn Unused Official Ballots;
 Initialization Report;
 Precinct audit Log Report;
 Precinct Statistical Report;
 Copies of the ERs intended for the Provincial Board of Canvasses (CEF No. A9)
 Copies of the ERs intended for Regional Board of Canvasses in the case of ARMM (CEF No. A9); and
 Copies of the ERs intended for the Commission (CEF No.A9)
Disposition of VCM, Ballot Boxes, Election
Returns and Other Documents
The EB shall:
Deliver to the EO the following documents or papers:
 The envelope containing the Main SD card for use by the city/municipal board of
Canvassers thru the Reception and Custody Group (RCG); and
 Other pertinent papers and Documents