The Automated Election Systems Law (RA 9369) paved the way for the first nationwide implementation of electronic voting, counting and results consolidation and transmission in the Philippines.

The International Foundation for Election Systems (IFES), in an effort to support and promote an open and transparent procurement process required by the automation law, sponsored an Election Technology Conference and Vendor Exhibition in Manila from November 17-19, 2008. The three-day event brought together election managers, democracy practitioners and representatives from the vendor community to share experiences and discover effective solutions when integrating new technologies into the electoral process.

Election Technology Conference

The first two days of the conference were dedicated to panel discussions led by electoral experts on topics ranging from the appropriate use of technology in election processes to the role of civil society in an automated election scenario.

The event drew more than 250 international and national participants over the first two days. All commissioners on the Philippine Commission on Elections (COMELEC) and a significant number of its staff, members of the COMELEC Advisory Council, House and Senate staffers, Senator Richard Gordon, civil society and local media were in attendance. Further, staff from the election commissions of Korea, Nepal, Bhutan, the Maldives and Malaysia attended and actively participated in the event.

On the third day of the conference, more than 180 representatives from different sectors of Philippine society participated in focus group discussions on the technologies presented and tested during the event. The COMELEC Advisory Council used the feedback from these discussions to guide and inform their selection of the type of technology ultimately chosen by the COMELEC. Many respondents noted that while most technologies promise to speed up vote counting, credibility and transparency remained as top concerns.

Vendor Exhibition

Seventeen well-recognized companies from nine countries participated in the exhibition. For three days, these vendors showcased a wide variety of solutions and product lines to an eager audience. As expected, the vendor fair provided an important venue for lively and productive discussions where new ideas and differing points of view stimulated critical thinking and aroused interest in, and awareness of, the complexity of automating the electoral process.

In Conclusion

The election technology conference and exhibition, the first of its kind in the region, successfully convened buyers, sellers and stakeholders to begin a discussion aimed at improving the legitimacy of a country’s electoral process. It is rare for these groups to have the opportunity to get together to discuss perspectives and address common issues in election administration. The collaborative features of the event ensured buy-in and progression in finding the right solutions, in this case for modernization.

The event and exhibition raised awareness about the different types of technology available and the need to consider all options before embarking on an automation process. It also helped to identify the pitfalls and dangers presented by automation and lessons learned from similar processes around the world.

On 10 May 2010 Philippines voters will have participated in the first fully automated national elections in their country. The decision to automate will naturally be weighed against how that effort contributed to a more credible and transparent process.

IFES in the Philippines
Since 1998, IFES has supported civil society organizations, government institutions and other election stakeholders to effect electoral reforms in order to strengthen Philippine democracy.

Contact:
Beverly Hagerdon Thakur
IFES Chief of Party (Philippines)
bhagerdonthakur@ifes.org