COMELEC SEEKS PUBLIC VIEWS ON IMPROVING POLL EXERCISE

T@sam_medenilla

HE Commission on Elections is now trying to beef up its preparations for the 2022 polls through crowdsourcing.

During the weekend, the poll body invited the public to send their suggestions on how it could better conduct next year’s elections, which are particularly challenging for Comelec given its slashed budget amid new manpower and logistical requirements to ensure the exercise does not become a super spreader event for Covid-19.

The poll body is also continually tweaking its rules for the conduct of traditional activities by candidates and parties to ensure health protocols are not breached.

It said those who are interested may send their proposals at https://docs. google.com/forms/d/e/1faip QLSDPOM5FKNUPCCLEHEXB dxshghqwwjokvi3eod71a zl_arsjhq/viewform.

“We want to know how we can further improve the voting experience for you,” Comelec said in its post.

Comelec issued the statement after it held its first voting simulation last Saturday, which primarily aims to test how the existing Covid-19 protocols could affect the election.

The event was held at the San Juan Elementary School in San Juan City.

Among the observations made by the poll body during the event was the tendency of voters to come early and late to voting centers during election day.

Also during the simulation, Comelec was able to successfully reduce the average processing time of Voters’ Assistance Desk to just 2 minutes, from 3 to 5 minutes.

Around 4,000 test voters from Barangays Balong-bato and Ermitaño in San Juan City participated in the simulation.