[LINK] Electronic voting

[stephen at melbpc.org.au]

Yesterday the Philippines ran their tri-annual mid-term elections. By all
accounts they've been very successful. Elections are a massive affair for
this country with 100+ million people, 7140 islands, and, 78,000 election 
precincts, many without made roads and basically only accessible by water.

The elections were indeed heavily electronic, utilizing over 78,000 black 
boxes (precinct count optical scanners). The elections are for all levels
of government, and, each voter is given multiple ballots to colour-in and
then insert in the voting machines. The machines report the voting counts
via wireless.  Comelec are allowing local precincts to announce the local 
results and promise Federal results tomorrow, 48 hours after voting began.

Apparently over 60% of registered people actually voted with few problems
at voting centers reported - something quite common in previous elections.

In the past it was weeks before all (well most) of the paper ballot-boxes
got to counting centres, and ballot-box substitution was always a problem.

The black-box source code was made available to all political parties the
week before elections and no party has reported any code problems. All in
all it looks as if this has been a real win for the country and democracy.

As the elections were only held yesterday, it's still early days, but, :D

Info: http://www.comelec.gov.ph
Media: http://technology.inquirer.net/25335/its-inevitable-200-to-300-poll-
machines-will-conk-out-smartmatic 

Cheers,
Stephen
Official Philippines Emmigrant
now Australian Winter Resident.
Think white sand & palmtrees :D



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