(UPDATE) MANILA, Philippines — The extreme heat and high humidity across the country disrupted voting in several areas Monday, affecting both machines and voters.
Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman George Garcia said the combination of elevated temperatures and moisture in the air contributed to widespread ballot feeding issues and technical hiccups, particularly in areas with large voting populations.
“Because of the extreme heat, some vote-counting machines began ejecting ballots,” Garcia explained in an interview. “Humidity causes ink smudges or makes the paper slightly damp, which confuses the scanners. Even just a little dirt or moisture can lead to a rejection.” Among the affected areas were the New Era Elementary School in Quezon City and polling centers in Tanauan, Batangas, where machines abruptly stopped accepting ballots mid-morning. While Comelec had anticipated some level of machine failure, Garcia admitted the weather intensified the frequency of issues.
“We immediately sent replacements — not only for machines that had failed, but also for those we feared would overheat soon,” he said. “Even if a machine was still running, if it showed signs of slowing down or if the line got too long, we replaced it on the spot.” The Comelec had also instructed electoral boards nationwide to regularly clean the ballot scanners using dry cloth. Garcia said reports from the ground confirmed that buildup of dust, moisture, and smudged ink were causing many machines to reject otherwise valid ballots.
Compounding the delays were complications at priority lanes. Garcia noted that elderly voters and persons with disabilities — many of whom had been given the option to have poll staff feed their ballots — often insisted on personally inserting them into the machines. In some cases, that led to repeated rejections and longer wait times.
“We understand their desire to personally complete the process, but in some precincts it caused bottlenecks. There were instances where a single voter had to attempt multiple times before the machine finally accepted their ballot.” Despite the setbacks, Garcia reiterated that voting continued in all precincts and contingency measures were fully in place. He urged patience and reiterated Comelec’s appeal to voters.
“Keep your ballots clean and dry, and if you’re unsure, let the electoral board assist you. Our goal is to make sure every valid vote counts.” Garcia also dismissed rumors of a possible extension or postponement of the elections, saying constitutional requirements left no room for delay.
“We are committed to completing this election today, as the law mandates,” he said.
