Democracy in the Digital Age: The Case for Automated Elections
Democracy Watch supports the COMELEC’s move to use more digital methods to promote transparency in the upcoming 2022 elections. In continuing to automate electoral processes, the COMELEC upholds the sanctity of the ballot.
There is no doubt that technology is useful in our everyday lives. It improves the quality and ease of a wide array of services. It only follows that technology be utilized in the conduct of democratic procedures especially when transparency and accountability is the goal.
The first new feature of digital signatures is a welcome development. In using digital signatures of electoral boards, the COMELEC helps certify that the electoral returns transmitted to the canvassing center are the same votes sent by the vote counting machines (VCMs). It guards against phony or pre-filled ballots, thus contributing to fraud prevention. The second feature, which is the transmission of voters’ receipts to the transparency server, is also a step forward for the elections. This helps the public do their own tally which is valuable for the many civil society and media groups that conduct their own parallel count.
Democracy Watch continues its call for the full automation of the 2022 national elections. It stands firmly against the proposed hybrid elections as this is a costly regression. A hybrid form of elections is not only the more expensive option but the riskier one as well. Usage of manual counting in the elections creates more chances of electoral fraud to take place. As the country continues to address the COVID-19 pandemic, it must be wise in its spending choices. A hybrid form of elections costs more than an automated one, and in a time of prolonged crisis such as now, can the country really afford to waste its resources for a less efficient and less secure electoral process?
Beyond this, public satisfaction in automated elections is encouragingly high. In a Pulse Asia survey done after the 2019 midterm elections, 87 percent of Filipinos noted their satisfaction in the automated polling system or VCM use. 84 percent expressed trust in the results from automated elections. Furthermore, an overwhelming 91 percent of Filipinos are in favor of the continued use of automated elections. These are high numbers that still prove relevant today.
Democracy Watch stands by the value of automated elections. In the same way we trust technology many times to help us accomplish our day to day activities, let us trust the security and efficiency that technology provides in the elections. Automate the elections, uphold the sanctity of the ballot.