PetitionforExtensionoftheElectoralPeriodforthe2014SanggunianGeneralElections We,theundersigned,doherebysubmitapetitiontoextendtheelectionsforatleasttwo regularschooldays. InsufficientTime Inthefirstplace,theamountoftimeneededtoaccommodatethewholestudentbodyin goingthroughthevotingprocess,whichinthiscaseincludesboththereadingandvotingon constitutionalamendmentsintheplebisciteandselectionofcandidatesintheelectionproper, provedtobegreaterthanthetotalamountofvotingtimeallottedbytheCOMELEC,eveninlight oftheextensionsthusfarprovided.Thisisprovenbyatimeandmotionstudyconducted. WiththesamespiritastheSJCdecisionreleasedinFebruary20,2011,inresponsetoa similarpetitionrequestinganextensionofthatyearsGeneralElectionsduetoinsufficienttime allottedforthestudentbodytovote,anewtimeandmotionstudywasconducted.Thistimeand motionstudydeterminestheamountoftimenecessaryforallpossiblevoterstobeabletovote.

Attheveryleast,COMELECmustmakethetotalnumberofcomputerminutesavailableforall students,andifthenumberofminutesisinsufficient,basedontheaforementioneddecision, thereisaneedtoextendtheelectionperiod.AllanCabrera,4BSMAMF,conductedthestudy, andtheresultsareasfollows: Total Needed Computer Minutes [C]=[AxB] 36560

TimeRequired(in minutesper student)[A] 4.57

Numberof LS students [B] 8000

Date 2/19/14 2/20/14 2/21/14

Numberof Computers [D] 15 15 10

Numberof MinutesOpen PerDay [E] 180 480 480

TotalNumber ofComputer Minutes Available [F]=[DxE] 2700 7200 4800

2/24/14 Total:

15

480

7200 21900

Additionalcomputerminuteswereavailableforthecoursesaffectedbythetechnical errors,butevenwiththosefactoredin,thetotalnumberofcomputerminutesisinsufficientin ordertocompensateforthemissingnumberofcomputerminutes.Therefore,pursuanttothe decisionmadebytheSJConFebruary20,2011,anextensionoftheelectionsisinorder. UndueVoterFatigueasaDirectResultofMultipleTechnicalErrorsandInconsistent Announcements Additionally,duringtheelectoralprocess,severalissuesarose,chieflystemmingfrom thefactthatbeforeMonday,12pm,thevotesofstudentsfromnineteendifferentcourseswere notacceptedbythecomputerizedvotingsystemduetosystemerror.Becauseofthis,students whoparticipatedintheelectoralprocessduringthistimedidnothavetherightofhavingtheir votesdulyrecognized.Affectedstudentswereinitiallytoldthatthevoteshadbeenrecovered,but thiswaslaterretractedandtheywereaskedtorevote.Somehadtorevotemorethanonce,as furthercomplicationsarose. Eventually,thedecisionwasmadetogivethestudentsfromtheaffectedcourses additionaldaystorecasttheirvote,butdisproportionatedamagehadalreadybeendone.Manyof thestudentswhoseballotswerenottalliedhadlosttheirinterestinparticipatingintheelectoral processuntilsuchatimethatCOMELECreleasedofficialwordandproofthatthesystemhad alreadybeenfixedandwascurrentlyfunctioning.Ithasnotdonesoatthetimeofwriting. Furthermore,incalculabledamagehasbeendonenotonlytothestudentswhobelongto theaffectedcoursesbutalsototherestofthestudentbody,whohaddoubtsregardingthe functioningoftheelectronicsystem.Manystudentswhocouldhaveandmighthavewantedto votehavebecomedisenfranchisedfromdoingsobecausethenewsregardingthefaultysystem spreadfast. Wefurthersubmitthatthestudentbodywasfurtherdiscouragedfromvotingduetothe manyinconsistentannouncementsonthepartofCOMELEC.COMELECinitiallyreleasedan announcementthatdirectlystatedthatthemissingvoteshadbeenrecovered.Theretraction cameinacommentontheaforementionedstatusmessage,notasitsownannouncement. Thus,studentswerelefthangingintermsofdecidingwhetherornottopushthroughwith actuallyvotinggiventhepotentialerrorsofthesystem,andthoughtheyawaitedamoreconcrete manifestationoftheeffectivenessofthesystemthroughsomesortofscientificstudy, COMELECfailedtopublishanysuchdocument.Manystudentsexplicitlydidnotwanttovote,or voteagain,untilsuchproofmaterialized. Additionally,weassertthatthedamagecausedbythesystemerror,specificallyas regardsvotingtimeandvoterdisenfranchisement,wasnotlimitedtothestudentsofthedirectly affectedcourses.Thetimespentinlinebythestudentsofthesecourseswasnotjusttime wastedonthepartofthesestudentsitwasalsowastedonthepartofthevotingbodyasa

whole.Wheneverastudentfromanaffectedcoursewasinlineoratavotingstation,castinga votethatwouldturnouttonotberecordedandwouldhavetoberedone,thatwasalsotime duringwhichotherstudentsfromnonglitchedcourseswerenotabletocasttheirvotes(dueto limitedspace/time/votingstations).Allowingextravotingtimeonlyforthecoursesdirectly affectedbytheerrordoesnotremedythetimelostbystudentsofnonglitchedcourses.The systemerroraffectedeveryone,notjustthepeoplewhosevoteswerentbeingrecorded properly. Wepetitionforanextensionoftheelectionbecauseofallthesethings,andonthe groundsoftheprincipleofanelection.Anelectionismeanttobethefair,balancedarenaof equalrepresentation(oneperson,onevote)inwhichthemembersofthestudentbodyenact theirpowerandtheirdemocraticrighttoshapetheirstudentgovernment.Inthiscase,theentire systemwhichwassupposedtofacilitatethisprocessturnedouttobeflawedduetosystem error,duetoinsufficienttimeallotted.WhiletheCOMELECistakingstepstoaddressthis,we submitthatfurtherrectificationintheformofatwodayextensionisnecessaryforallthese reasons,and,ultimately,tosafeguardthemandateoftheofficersandthegovernmentwhoare electedasaresultofthisprocess. Undersigned, VanessadelRosario VPforInternals,Ignite RedentorJohnR.Dimla Chairperson,SchoolofHumanitiesBoard AntonioRafaelN.Elicao SecretaryGeneral,Sanggunian PamelaGaerlan 2ndYearSOSECBRepresentative RayCristoferGomez 2ndYearJGSOMCBRepresentative GabrielCrisantoNolasco Constituent JamesGregoryTieng Constituent RyanCarlY.Yu VicePresident,Sanggunian