Even with the election watchdogs, teachers and Board of Election Inspectors (BEI),

there is a great need for poll watchers to observe the election process and most
especially the canvassing of votes cast to prevent fraud. In almost a week before
the first ever automated elections in the country, what will the poll watchers do in
an AES election?
Based from the University of the Philippines College of Law Center and Parish
Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV)s handbook on AES elections:
Who has the capability to assign a poll watcher?
Commission on Election (COMELEC) registered candidates and political parties are
entitled to appoint a poll watcher for each precinct. Accredited citizens arm such as
PPCRV and National Citizens Movement for Free Elections (NAMFREL) are also
capable to select a poll watcher on their behalf.
National and local candidates of the same ticket or slate are entitled to have one
poll watcher in every precinct.
Citizens arm organizations are entitled to one poll watcher in each polling precinct.
COMELEC authorized civil, professional, business, youth, service and other
organizations are also entitled to a poll watcher in each polling place.
All these watchers are allowed inside the polling precinct. However, when the
polling place is already cramped and all watchers cannot be accommodated,
watchers from the authorized citizens arm are given the first slot in poll watching,
next is the watcher from the majority party then the watcher from the minority
party.
Who are capable in becoming a poll watcher?
People are entitled to become a poll watcher if he or she is a registered voter in the
city or municipality comprising the precinct in which he or she is assigned.
He or she should have a good reputation.
The assigned poll watcher should have no election offense, havent been convicted
of any crime.
He or she should know how to read and write Filipino, English or any of the local
dialects.
The poll watcher should not be related to any candidate within the fourth civil
degree by consanguinity or affinity to the chairman or to any other member of the
BEI in his assigned polling precinct.
What are the procedures the poll watchers undergo to officially do their tasks?

Authorized independent candidates, political parties, citizens arm and other

organizations are to file the list of their poll watchers at least 15 days before May
10, election day.
The poll watchers should submit a signed proof from their respective organizations
to the BEI assigned in the polling precinct.
The BEI chairman will list the poll watchers in the election minutes with a notation
under the poll watchers signatures implying that they are qualified to serve as
such.
What are the poll watchers tasks and rights?
Poll watchers have the right to observe the election proceedings. He or she is
capable of taking notes, recording, or even take pictures of the voting process,
counting of votes cast, even the generated election return and the ballot boxes.
Watchers are entitled to file a complaint or protest against the chairman or any
member of the BEI if irregularity or by any person in the election process is noticed.
A copy of the election return is to be given to the poll watcher from the majority and
minority party with affixed signature and thumb marks of the BEI and the poll
watchers.
Watchers have the right to stay in the precinct/room where the ballot boxes are kept
after the canvassing of ballots.
What are the Dos and Donts for a poll watcher in a polling precinct?
Poll watchers are not allowed to speak to the members of the BEI, to the voters or
even among themselves to avoid disruption of the BEI proceedings. They are to stay
in the area designated for the watchers, mingling is not allowed.
On what basis will the watcher be entitled to protest against a voter?
If the voter is not registered, or is using a name that is not his or hers the poll
watcher can challenge the voter in a complaint.
Also, if the voter is proven to be disqualified from voting, if he or she received or
expects to receive, paid, offered or promised to pay, contributed, offered, or
promised to contribute money or anything of value as consideration for his vote or
for the vote of another. Or if the voter made a bet or is involved in a bet that
depends on the election results.
What responsibilities are to be given to the watcher to further preserve a fraud-free
AES election other than on the voting process itself?

Before the voting proceedings, the poll watcher should record the serial number of
the seals in each ballot box. They should constantly check if the serial number of
the seal in the ballot boxes remain the same during the casting of votes as well as
the sealing of the boxes.
Poll watchers should observe the initialization of the Precinct Count Optical Scan
(PCOS) machine, he or she should sign the initialization ER.
Scrutinize the counting of votes, transmission and printing of ERs.
After the voting process, the poll watchers should affix their signatures on the ERs.
They should observe the disposition of the PCOS, ballot boxes, keys, ERs and other
documents even after the termination of the counting of votes cast and finally the
announcement of the results in the precinct.
Lastly, the poll watcher should accompany the BEI when the latter delivers the
ballot box to the city or municipal treasurer.
Key Points For Watchers:
The ballot box shall NEVER be reopened to place therein or to take out therefrom
any document or article except in proper cases and with prior written authority of
the COMELEC to retrieve copies of the election returns which will be needed in any
canvass.
In such situation, the BEI members and the watchers shall be notified of the time
and place of the opening of said ballot box. Watchers should make sure they are
present when the ballot box is opened.