Philippine Automated Election System or Automatic Counting Machine?

Before I start anything here, I believe, that it is important to understand what an Automated Election System is or should be.

Let us start with... what is "automated"?

"Automated" according to Merriam Webster is "to convert to largely automatic operation " (please see http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/automated), which in my own words is, to make a process "automatic".

"Automatic" - operating with minimal human intervention; independent of external control.

This leads to... an "Automated Election System" is an election system with minimal human intervention.


Now lets start talking about the election system. (I maybe right or wrong; or my knowledge about the election system might be incomplete... your inputs would be appreciated as it will help make this post more accurate as possible)

First we need people to vote for; President, Vice-President; Senators; etc.

This people will file their candidacy using "pen and papers" (automated election system???) no, not yet. 1 vote for human intervention.

Next the campaign period, this is more on the candidates prerogative, so let's leave it that way.

Alright, Election Day is near... Before what they do is they send the ballots and the box where they place the ballots (whatever that thing is called). However, what they did now is they send the machines,ballots and chips to our local government so we can votes. Alright, 2 votes for human intervention. ^_^

Election Day... yahoo, We finally tried the so-called "Automated Election System". Unfortunately, it took me 4 hours before I was able to see the PCOS Machine. (how automatic). Well, I do understand that we are using machines and it may fail. The only thing I don't understand is, why... in anytime did it choose to fail on election day.

Anyway, so I got the ballot mark the people I want to lead our country. And place it on the PCOS Machine. Wait a minute, that is human intervention again. 3 votes for human intervention.

We have voted... all of us... so where is the automation?

I see, what we have and our country have paid for is... (drum rolling) "A Counting Machine".

This is where our taxes go. A counting machine. Oh well.

Anyway, after the machine got all our votes it will then be transported from the precinct to COMELEC (if I am not mistaken). (human intervention again)

Overall here is what we have. 4 votes for human intervention and 1 vote for Automated Counting Machine.

I think this already defy the very meaning of automatic.

This means our taxes were used on a very expensive "Automatic Counting Machine".

What do you think?