Iloilo City — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) Western Visayas is bringing its enhanced Automated Counting Machines (ACM) on a roadshow to familiarize the public with new features designed to improve voter experience and transparency.
The roadshow will run from this month until January 31, 2025.
According to Western Visayas Comelec Election Director Dennis Ausan, while the ACM will still require voters to shade ballots and feed them into the machine, recent upgrades call for reintroducing the system to stakeholders.
“We had many enhancements incorporated in the machines. Though the process remains the same, these enhancements make it necessary to reintroduce the ACM to all our stakeholders,” Ausan said.
Key upgrades include a display that shows an image of the ballot as it is entered, allowing voters to review selections and make corrections if needed.
Additionally, the ACM now generates a QR-coded receipt that lets voters verify their selections while the machine counts, adding a layer of transparency and security for the election process.