Automation in Election

Commission on Election had ordered the full automation of the 2008 elections in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. This coming August 11 these machines will be used in Maguindanao and in Lanao del Sur. Today a demo had been shown to the public in the Senate of the Philippines on how it works. Direct RecordingElectronic (DRE) and the Optical Mark Reader (OMR) technologies will be use for the ARMM elections.The DRE allows voting through touch screen or touch pad while the OMR requires voters to fill up a paper ballot which is then tallied through the use of the automated counting machine. According to Sen. Richard Gordon, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi should be included to places that will experience electronic automation this coming election. I learned that these electoral machines can count 100 ballots per minute. With the utilization of these machines, recording,tallying and sending of results will be easier for working individuals during the election period. I am hoping that this will mark as a good turn to have a cleaner and more peaceful election. It hurts when we hear news about people being threatened, kidnapped and even killed during election.