I am so excited to vote on Monday. I can’t wait to feed that long piece of paper in a PCOS machine. The COMELEC said that the election on May 10 will happen and I believe it. I want to stay positive about this but I thought that it was premature of them to toast champagne after the last ballot was printed out. Too early a celebration guys. Some CompactFlash (CF) cards are nowhere near to the far-flung PCOS machines and they won’t make it on election day. What are the voters in those remote areas supposed to do now? Hold voting off until the CF cards finally arrive? I see a potential problem too. Our public schools don’t have air-conditioning. In this jello heat we are experiencing this summer, will the PCOS machines survive it? I really really hope so.

2. Whoever gets elected president will be the 15th President of our country.

3. The 2010 election, in compliance with Republic Act No. 9369, also known as Amended Computerization Act of 2007, the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) will administer the first national computerized election in the history of the Philippines.

4. Official campaign period:
Candidates running for national positions – February 9 to May 8
Candidates running for local positions – March 26 to May 8

ELECTION TRIVIAS: Did you know…
In Australia, voting is compulsory for all adult citizens aged 18 years or older. Non-voters will have to provide a reason for their failure to vote or pay a $20 penalty. Compulsory voting is also enforced in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, Peru, Singapore, Switzerland and Turkey.

From DiscoveryMagazine.com: 20 Things You Didn’t Know About Elections:
There are 2 things that are worth reading in relation to the coming election–

17.  Ballot layout matters. There’s the “vertical proximity effect,” whereby unknown candidates whose names appear near those of popular candidates get extra votes.

18. And then there’s a tendency among voters simply to vote for the first name on the ballot. In Australia, where voting is compulsory, these votes could account for as much as 1 percent of the total.

A person’s bias is based on facts, but prejudice occurs without a person knowing or examining the facts. Vote wisely, people.

Here’s a video presentation from Smartmatic that can serve as a guide on how to use the new automated machine for the 2010 election:

And the Sexbomb dancers to explain it further with much fanfare:

“Registered voters who haven’t had their biometrics captured need not panic. They can still vote in 2010.”

He also said that “so long as your name is included in the voters list, you will be allowed to vote,” adding that voters’ identification cards (ID’s) are also not a requirement on Election Day. Source

Based on my experience as a voter for the past 2 elections, what he said about the voters ID is true. No need to bring it in the precinct where you are going to vote. All you have to do is look for your name on the list and enter the room where you are going to cast your vote. I am excited to vote in 2010 because of the automated system. High-tech ika nga. Feeling ko kasi nasa Grade 2 ulit ako tuwing bumuboto. Kailangan takpan ng folder yung papel na sinusulatan ng sagot, bawal tumingin sa papel ng katabi, one seat apart kayo, tapos may nakabantay pa na mga teachers, ha ha.

People, register if you haven’t. You only have to do it once. After that, you can exercise your right to vote during elections. Last day is on Saturday, Ocotber 31.

In these times of election fever, anything political is a must read especially if you are a voter and you give a damn about your country. Just want to share this tidbit from The Professional Heckler:
“Huwag n’yo ‘kong subukan.”
~Joseph Estrada (Inauguration Day, 1998)
[Don't worry Erap. We will remember that when we go to our polling precincts in 2010.]

Ha ha ha! Apir! Di ko sasayangin ang paglakad ko mula EDSA hanggang Malacanang nung EDSA 2. Ang layo kaya nun!