Poll body may adjust PCOS machines for voting of 13th senator

The precinct count optical scan (PCOS) machines may need a little alteration for the voting of a 13th senator in the coming elections, according to Commission on Elections (Comelec) spokesman James Jimenez.

Jimenez said they would have to adjust the PCOS machines if the Senate decides to fill up the seat to be vacated by Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago.

“It is essential that the Comelec give the PCOS specific instructions to search for 13 or less votes for the senatorial race. If the Comelec does not do this, then any ballot that has 13 votes in the senator box will have those votes considered stray,” he said.

Jimenez said the PCOS is ordinarily instructed to search for only 12 or less votes in the senatorial race.

In case a voter checks less than 12, he said the PCOS would record the number of votes indicated and the rest would be considered abstentions.

“This is called an under-vote. But if you vote for more than twelve, then all your votes for senator will be considered stray, and therefore will not be credited to anyone. This is called an over-vote,” he said.

However, Jimenez stressed that adjustments would be made only after the Senate officially declares a vacancy, when Santiago leaves to serve on the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Comelec chairman Sixto Brillantes earlier called on Santiago to immediately notify the poll body so that they could determine if the ballots to be printed for the coming senatorial race would have 13 slots.

Jimenez said it is also important for the Commission and the political parties to know early on how many candidates they would have to field in the next elections.

“If it isn’t clear by the period for filing Certificates of Candidacy how many positions are being contested, then some political parties might actually file just 12 COCs when they could be filing 13,” he said.

The number of senatorial hopefuls is entirely up to the political parties, but Jimenez said it is necessary for the Comelec to know so they could ensure orderly conduct of the elections.

Comelec said the 13th senator to be elected would serve the remaining three years of Santiago’s term. –