What is the VRVS?
DURING
the May 13, automated elections, there will be pilot areas which will use a different verification system before the Electoral Board give the voter his/her ballot. It’s called the VRVS – Voter Registration Verification System
What is the VRVS?
The VRVS, otherwise called the Voter Registration Verification System is a new addition to the May 13, 2019 automated elections. It aims to provide a verification of voters before they can vote thru the use of a Voter Registration Verification Machine (VRVM). The VRVM is a hardware tablet with a built-in fingerprint scanner and smartcard reader and pre-loaded with the voter’s registered data per clustered precinct which is used for the verification of voters.
How is it integrated into the voter database?
Each VRVM contains the voter database per clustered precinct, based on the EDCVL. The data includes the Full Name of the voter, his photograph, his/her precinct number, polling center, barangay, municipality/city and province.
What areas will implement the use of the VRVS in the May 13,2 019 elections?
National Capital Region: Caloocan City
Manila City
Quezon City
Region I: Pangasinan Province, including Dagupan City
Region III: Nueva Ecija including Cabanatuan City Region IV-A: Province of Cavite Region VI: Province of Iloilo, including Iloilo City & Negros Occidental including Bacolod City
Region VII: Province of Cebu, including Cebu City
Region IX: Province of Zamboanga del Sur, including Zamboanga City
Region X: Province of Misamis Oriental, including Cagayan de Oro City
Region XI: Province of Davao del Sur, including Davao City BARMM including Cotabato City Isabela City
Can you still vote even if the system does not recognize your fingerprint?
Yes. The voter can still vote. The individual can try only four (4) times to verify his thumbprint. If after, even if the system does not recognize the voter’s thumbprint, the Electoral Board is mandated to do a manual search of the database to check if the individual is in the database. If by using the manual search, the voter’s identification details are found, then he/she will be given an official ballot and allowed to vote.
What if after a manual search, your name is not found, can you still vote?
Yes, protocol dictates that the Electoral Board will refer to the EDCVL (Election Day Computerized Voters List) and if he/ she in the EDCVL, the voter will be given a ballot and allowed to vote. The use of the EDCVL is allowed only if the thumbprint is not read, and if the voters name does not appear in the manual search.
Does the VRVS tablet have a back-up battery system?
Each VRVS has to be fully charged. But in case it runs low on power, there is a powerbank that can run the VRVM for eight (8) hours included in the VRVM kit. In case the powerbank runs out of battery, you can use any regular powerbank. The VRVM uses a micro-USB cable, typical of an android device.
What happens if the Electoral Board (BEI) accidentally closes the VRVS system?
If the Electoral Board accidentally closes the VRVS, the same has to be recorded in the Minutes of Voting. After which the voting still continues. Protocol dictates that it will be the EDCVL which will be used as basis to verify the identification of the voter, before giving the official ballot.
Please take note that it is expected that the use of the VRVS may cause delay in the processing of voters. It is recommended that voters in the pilot areas using the VRVS go early to vote. Or, if not, I suggest going at the time when there isn’t too many voters. This is towards lunchtime.
Remember: Even if your thumbprint is not recognized, the Electoral Board then does a manual search of the database. If no file is found, then the Electoral Board is supposed to verify the records from the EDCVL.