Poll Exec Reminds Voters Not To Use Smartphone Camera On Election Day

A Commission on Elections (Comelec) official has reminded voters they are not allowed to use their smartphones to take photos inside the polling place on May 9, unless they want to end up in police custody.

Voters, watchers and members of the Board of Election Inspectors (BEIs) are also not allowed to take photos of the ballots and voter’s receipts, as this violates the sanctity and secrecy of the ballot, Mandaue City Election Officer Ferdinand Gujilde said.

Gujilde said doing so constitutes an election offense.

Posting on social networking sites who you voted for, though, is not prohibited as it is one’s personal right to divulge the names of candidates they chose.

“As a voter, you can bring a phone with a camera inside the polling place but you cannot use it. As a watcher, you can bring a camera and use it, provided it does not violate the sanctity of the ballot, meaning you cannot take a photo of your official ballot or the voter’s receipt,” Gujilde said.

The use of cameras inside the polling place where voters will cast their vote is among the prohibited acts in the coming election, Gujilde said.

He said selfies are prohibited inside the polling place.

“As a voter, you’re not allowed because voting is not about you, it’s about the country, so why take a selfie?” he said.

Gujilde said those who insist on using their cameras inside the polling place may be taken into custody by the police, but their gadgets will not be confiscated.

Another prohibited act concerning voters is bringing the voter’s receipt out of the polling place, since these should be placed inside the voter’s receipt receptacle.

Those who bring home the receipt, perhaps as a souvenir or to show to the candidates they voted for, will face one to six years imprisonment without probation, plus perpetual disqualification to hold government office and will also no longer be able to vote. (PNA) LAP/EB/EDS