# Omnibus Election Code of the Philippines/Article XVIII

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Source: Official Gazette. Vol. 81, No. 49. Manila. Government Printing Office. 1985. pp. 5735–5746.
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Article XVIII.—COUNTING OF VOTES
Sec. 206. Counting to be public and without interruption.—As soon as the voting is finished, the board of election inspectors shall publicly count in the polling place the votes cast and ascertain the results. The board of election inspectors shall not adjourn or postpone or delay the count until it has been fully completed, unless otherwise ordered by the Commission.
The Commission, in the interest of free, orderly, and honest elections, may order the board of election inspectors to count the votes and to accomplish the election returns and other forms prescribed under this Code in any other place within a public building in the same municipality or city: Provided, That the said public building shall not be located within the perimeter of or inside a military or police camp or reservation nor inside a prison compound. (Sec. 150, 1978 EC)
Sec. 207. Excess ballots.—Before proceeding to count the votes the board of election inspectors shall count the ballots in the compartment for valid ballots without unfolding them or exposing their contents, except so far as to ascertain that each ballot is single, and compare the number of ballots in the box with the number of voters who have voted. If there are excess ballots, they shall be returned in the box and thoroughly mixed therein, and the poll clerk, without seeing the ballots and with his back to the box, shall publicly draw out as many ballots as may be equal to the excess and without unfolding them, place them in an envelope which shall be marked “excess ballots” and which shall be sealed and signed by the members of the board of election inspectors. The envelope shall be placed in the compartment for valid ballots, but its contents shall not be read in the counting of votes. If in the course of the examination ballots are found folded together before they were deposited in the box, they shall be placed in the envelope for excess ballots. In case ballots with their detachable coupons be found in the box, such coupons shall be removed and deposited in the compartment for spoiled ballots, and the ballots shall be included in the file of valid ballots. If ballots with the words “spoiled” be found in the box, such ballots shall likewise be placed in the compartment for spoiled ballots. (Sec. 151, 1978 EC)
Sec. 208. Marked ballots.—The board of election inspectors shall then unfold the ballots and determine whether there are any marked ballots, and, if any be found, they shall be placed in an envelope labelled “marked ballots” which shall be sealed and signed by the members of the board of election inspectors and placed in the compartment for valid ballots and shall not be counted. A majority vote of the board of election inspectors shall be sufficient to determine whether any ballot is marked or not. Non-official ballots which the board of election inspectors may find, except those which have been used as emergency ballots, shall be considered as marked ballots. (Sec. 152, 1978 EC)
Sec. 209. Compartment for spoiled ballots.—The ballots deposited in the compartment for spoiled ballots shall be presumed to be spoiled ballots, whether or not they contain such notation; but if the board of election inspectors should find that during the voting any valid ballot was erroneously deposited in this compartment, or if any ballot separated as excess or marked had been erroneously deposited therein, the board of election inspectors shall open said compartment after the voting and before the counting of votes for the sole purpose of drawing out the ballots erroneously deposited therein. It shall then prepare and sign a statement of such fact and lock the box with its three keys immediately thereafter. The valid ballots so withdrawn shall be mixed with the other valid ballots, and the excess or marked ballots shall be placed in their proper envelopes which shall for such purposes be opened and again labelled, sealed, signed and kept as hereinafter provided. (Sec. 153, 1978 EC)
Sec. 210. Manner of counting votes.—The counting of votes shall be made in the following manner: the board of election inspectors shall unfold the ballots and form separate piles of one hundred ballots each, which shall be held together with rubber bands, with cardboard of the size of the ballots to serve as folders. The chairman of the board of election inspectors shall take the ballots of the first pile one by one and read the names of candidates voted for and the offices for which they were voted in the order in which they appear thereon, assuming such a position as to enable all of the watchers to read such names. The chairman shall sign and affix his right hand thumbmark at the back of the ballot immediately after it is counted. The poll clerk, and the third member, respectively, shall record on the election returns and the tally board or sheet each vote as the names voted for each office are read.
Each vote shall be recorded by a vertical line, except every fifth vote which shall be recorded by a diagonal line crossing the previous four vertical lines. One party member shall see to it that the chairman reads the vote as written on the ballot, and the other shall check the recording of the votes on the tally board or sheet and the election returns seeing to it that the same are correctly accomplished. After finishing the first pile of ballots, the board of election inspectors shall determine the total number of votes recorded for each candidate, the sum being noted on the tally board or sheet and on the election returns. In case of discrepancy such recount as may be necessary shall be made. The ballots shall then be grouped together again as before the reading. Thereafter, the same procedure shall be followed with the second pile of ballots and so on successively. After all the ballots have been read, the board of election inspectors shall sum up the totals recorded for each candidate, and the aggregate sum shall be recorded both on the tally board or sheet and on the election returns. It shall then place the counted ballots in an envelope provided for the purpose, which shall be closed signed and deposited in the compartment for valid ballots. The tally board or sheet as accomplished and certified by the board of election inspectors shall not be changed or destroyed but shall be kept in the compartment for valid ballots. (Sec. 154, 1978 EC)
Sec. 211. Rules for the appreciation of ballots.—In the reading and appreciation of ballots, every ballot shall be presumed to be valid unless there is clear and good reason to justify its rejection. The board of election inspectors shall observe the following rules, bearing in mind that the object of the election is to obtain the expression of the voters’ will:
    1. Where only the first name of a candidate or only his surname is written, the vote for such candidate is valid, if there is no other candidate with the same first name or surname for the same office.
    2. Where only the first name of a candidate is written on the ballot, which when read, has a sound similar to the surname of another candidate, the vote shall be counted in favor of the candidate with such surname. If there are two or more candidates with the same full name, first name or surname and one of them is the incumbent, and on the ballot is written only such full name, first name or surname, the vote shall be counted in favor of the incumbent.
    3. In case the candidate is a woman who uses her maiden or married surname or both and there is another candidate with the same surname, a ballot bearing only such surname shall be counted in favor of the candidate who is an incumbent.
    4. When two or more words are written on the same line on the ballot, all of which are the surnames of two or more candidates, the same shall not be counted for any of them, unless one is a surname of an incumbent who has served for at least one year in which case it shall be counted in favor of the latter.
    When two or more words are written on different lines on the ballot all of which are the surnames of two or more candidates bearing the same surname for an office for which the law authorizes the election of more than one and there are the same number of such surnames written as there are candidates with that surname, the vote shall be counted in favor of all the candidates bearing the surname.
    5. When on the ballot is written a single word which is the first name of a candidate and which is at the same time the surname of his opponent, the vote shall be counted in favor of the latter.
    6. When two words are written on the ballot, one of which is the first name of the candidate and the other is the surname of his opponent, the vote shall not be counted for either.
    7. A name or surname incorrectly written which, when read, has a sound similar to the name or surname of a candidate when correctly written shall be counted in his favor;
    8. When a name of a candidate appears in a space of the ballot for an office for which he is a candidate and in another space for which he is not a candidate, it shall be counted in his favor for the office for which he is a candidate and the vote for the office for which he is not a candidate shall be considered as stray, except when it is used as a means to identify the voter, in which case, the whole ballot shall be void.
    If the word or words written on the appropriate blank on the ballot is the identical name or surname or full name, as the case may be, of two or more candidates for the same office none of whom is an incumbent, the vote shall be counted in favor of that candidate to whose ticket belong all the other candidates voted for in the same ballot for the same constituency.
    9. When in a space in the ballot there appears a name of a candidate that is erased and another clearly written, the vote is valid for the latter.
    10. The erroneous initial of the first name which accompanies the correct surname of a candidate, the erroneous initial of the surname accompanying the correct first name of a candidate, or the erroneous middle initial of the candidate shall not annul the vote in favor of the latter.
    11. The fact that there exists another person who is not a candidate with the first name or surname of a candidate shall not prevent the adjudication of the vote of the latter.
    12. Ballots which contain prefixes such as "Sr.", "Mr.", "Datu", "Don", "Ginoo", "Hon.", "Gob." or suffixes like "Hijo", "Jr.", "Segundo", are valid.
    13. The use of the nicknames and appellations of affection and friendship, if accompanied by the first name or surname of the candidate, does not annul such vote, except when they were used as a means to identify the voter, in which case the whole ballot is invalid: Provided, That if the nickname used is unaccompanied by the name or surname of a candidate and it is the one by which he is generally or popularly known in the locality, the name shall be counted in favor of said candidate, if there is no other candidate for the same office with the same nickname.
    14. Any vote containing initials only or which is illegible or which does not sufficiently identify the candidate for whom it is intended shall be considered as a stray vote but shall not invalidate the whole ballot.
    15. If on the ballot is correctly written the first name of a candidate but with a different surname, or the surname of the candidate is correctly written but with different first name, the vote shall not be counted in favor of any candidate having such first name and/or surname but the ballot shall be considered valid for other candidates.
    16. Any ballot written with crayon, lead pencil, or in ink, wholly or in part, shall be valid.
    17. Where there are two or more candidates voted for in an office for which the law authorizes the election of only one, the vote shall not be counted in favor of any of them, but this shall not affect the validity of the other votes therein.
    18. If the candidates voted for exceed the number of those to be elected, the ballot is valid, but the votes shall be counted only in favor of the candidates whose names were firstly written by the voter within the spaces provided for said office in the ballot until the authorized number is covered.
    19. Any vote in favor of a person who has not filed a certificate of candidacy or in favor of a candidate for an office for which he did not present himself shall be considered as a stray vote but it shall not invalidate the whole ballot.
    20. Ballots containing the name of a candidate printed and pasted on a blank space of the ballot or affixed thereto through any mechanical process are totally null and void.
    21. Circles, crosses or lines put on the spaces on which the voter has not voted shall be considered as signs to indicate his desistance from voting and shall not invalidate the ballot.
    22. Unless it should clearly appear that they have been deliberately put by the voter to serve as identification marks, commas, dots, lines, or hyphens between the first name and surname of a candidate, or in other parts of the ballot, traces of the letter "T", "J", and other similar ones, the first letters or syllables of names which the voter does not continue, the use of two or more kinds of writing and unintentional or accidental flourishes, strokes, or strains, shall not invalidate the ballot.
    23. Any ballot which clearly appears to have been filled by two distinct persons before it was deposited in the ballot box during the voting is totally null and void.
    24. Any vote cast in favor of a candidate who has been disqualified by final judgment shall be considered as stray and shall not be counted but it shall not invalidate the ballot.
    25. Ballots wholly written in Arabic in localities where it is of general use are valid. To read them, the board of election inspectors may employ an interpreter who shall take an oath that he shall read the votes correctly.
    26. The accidental tearing or perforation of a ballot does not annul it.
    27. Failure to remove the detachable coupon from a ballot does not annul such ballot.
    28. A vote for the President shall also be a vote for the Vice-President running under the same ticket of a political party, unless the voter votes for a Vice-President who does not belong to such party. (Sec. 155, 1978 EC)
Sec. 212. Election returns.—The board of election inspectors shall prepare the election returns simultaneously with the counting of the votes in the polling place as prescribed in Section 210 hereof. The return shall be prepared in sextuplicate. The recording of votes shall be made as prescribed in said section. The entry of votes in words and figures for each candidate shall be closed with the signature and the clear imprint of the thumbmark of the right hand of all the members, likewise to be affixed in full view of the public, immediately after the last vote recorded or immediately after the name of the candidate who did not receive any vote.
The returns shall also show the date of the election, the polling place, the barangay and the city of municipality in which it was held, the total number of ballots found in the compartment for valid ballots, the total number of valid ballots withdrawn from the compartment for spoiled ballots because they were erroneously placed therein, the total number of excess ballots, the total number of marked or void ballots, and the total number of votes obtained by each candidate, writing out the said number in words and figures and, at the end thereof, the board of election inspectors shall certify that the contents are correct. The returns shall be accomplished in a single sheet of paper, but if this is not possible, additional sheets may be used which shall be prepared in the same manner as the first sheet and likewise certified by the board of election inspectors.
The Commission shall take steps so that the entries on the first copy of the election returns are clearly reproduced on the second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth copies thereof, and for this purpose the Commission shall use a special kind of paper.
Immediately upon the accomplishment of the election returns, each copy thereof shall be sealed in the presence of the watchers and the public, and placed in the proper envelope, which shall likewise be sealed and distributed as herein provided. (Sec. 156, 1978 EC)
Any election return with a separately printed serial number or which bears a different serial number from that assigned to the particular polling place concerned shall not be canvassed. This is to be determined by the board of canvassers prior to its canvassing on the basis of the certification of the provincial, city or municipal treasurer as to the serial number of the election return assigned to the said voting precinct, unless the Commission shall order in writing for its canvassing, stating the reason for the variance in serial numbers.
If the signatures and/or thumbmarks of the members of the board of election inspectors or some of them as required in this provision are missing in the election returns, the board of canvassers may summon the members of the board of election inspectors concerned to complete the returns. (Sec. 156, 1978 EC)
Sec. 213. Proclamation of the result of the election in the polling place.—Upon the completion of the election returns, the chairman of the board of election inspectors shall orally and publicly announce the total number of votes received in the election in the polling place by each and every one of the candidates, stating their corresponding office. (Sec. 157, 1978 EC)
Sec. 214. Disposition of election returns.—(1) In a presidential election: the board of election inspectors shall prepare in handwriting and sign the returns of the election in sextuplicate in their respective polling place in a form to be prescribed by the Commission. One copy shall be deposited in the compartment of the ballot box for valid ballots, and in the case of municipalities two copies including the original copy shall be handed to the municipal election registrar who shall immediately deliver the original copy to the provincial election supervisor and forward the other copy to the Commission, and one copy each to the authorized representatives of the accredited political parties. In the case of the cities, the city registrar shall retain the original copy for submission to the provincial election supervisor, and forward the other copy to the Commission.
(2) In the election for Members of the Batasang Pambansa: the original of the election returns shall be delivered to the election registrar of the city or municipality for transmittal to the chairman of the provincial board of canvassers, and direct to the chairman of the city or district board of canvassers in the urbanized cities and the districts of Metropolitan Manila, as the case may be, for use in the canvass. The second copy shall likewise be delivered to the election registrar for transmittal to the Commission. The third copy shall be deposited in the compartment for valid ballots. The fourth copy shall be delivered to the election registrar who shall use said copy in the tabulation of the advance results of the election in the city or municipality. The fifth and sixth copies shall each respectively be delivered to the members representing political parties represented in the board of election inspectors.
(3) In local elections: the original copy of the election returns shall be delivered to the city or municipal board of canvassers as a body for its use in the city of municipal canvass. The second copy shall be delivered to the election registrar of the city or municipality for transmittal to the provincial board of canvassers as a body for its use in the provincial canvass. The third copy shall likewise be delivered to the election registrar for transmittal to the Commission. The fourth copy shall be deposited in the compartment for valid ballots. The fifth and sixth copies shall each respectively be delivered to the members representing the political parties represented in the board of election inspectors.
The Commission shall promulgate rules for the speedy and safe delivery of the election returns. (Sec. 158, 1978 EC)
Sec. 215. Board of election inspectors to issue a certificate of the number of votes polled by the candidates for an office to the watchers.—After the announcement of the results of the election and before leaving the polling place, it shall be the duty of the board of election inspectors to issue a certificate of the number of the votes received by a candidate upon request of the watchers. All the members of the board of election inspectors shall sign the certificate. (Sec. 159, 1978 EC)
Sec. 216. Alterations and corrections in the election returns.—Any correction or alteration made in the election returns by the board of election inspectors before the announcement of the results of the election in the polling place shall be duly initialed by all the members thereof.
After the announcement of the results of the election in the polling place has been made, the board of election inspectors shall not make any alteration or amendment in any of the copies of the election returns, unless so ordered by the Commission upon petition of the members of the board of election inspectors within five days from the date of the election or twenty-four hours from the time a copy of the election returns concerned is opened by the board of canvassers, whichever is earlier. The petition shall be accompanied by proof of service upon all candidates affected. If the petition is by all members of the board of election inspectors and the results of the election would not be affected by said correction and none of the candidates affected objects thereto, the Commission, upon being satisfied of the veracity of the petition and of the error alleged therein, shall order the board of election inspectors to make the proper correction on the election returns.
However, if a candidate affected by said petition objects thereto, whether the petition is filed by all or only a majority of the members of the board of election inspectors and the results of the election would be affected by the correction sought to be made, the Commission shall proceed summarily to hear the petition. If it finds the petition meritorious and there are no evidence or signs indicating that the identity and integrity of the ballot box have been violated, the Commission shall order the opening of the ballot box. After satisfying itself that the integrity of the ballots therein has also been duly preserved, the Commission shall order the recounting of the votes of the candidates affected and the proper corrections made on the election returns, unless the correction sought is such that it can be made without need of opening the ballot box. (Sec. 169, 1978 EC)
Sec. 217. Delivery of the ballot boxes, keys and election supplies and documents.—Upon the termination of the counting of votes, the board of election inspectors shall place in the compartment for valid ballots, the envelopes for used ballots hereinbefore referred to, the unused ballots, the tally board or sheet, a copy of the election returns, and the minutes of its proceedings, and then shall lock the ballot box with three padlocks and such safety devices as the Commission may prescribe. Immediately after the box is locked, the three keys of the padlocks shall be placed in three separate envelopes and shall be sealed and signed by all the members of the board of election inspectors. The authorized representatives of the Commission shall forthwith take delivery of said envelopes, signing a receipt therefor, and deliver without delay one envelope to the provincial treasurer, another to the provincial fiscal and the other to the provincial election supervisor.
The ballot box, all supplies of the board of election inspectors and all pertinent papers and documents shall immediately be delivered by the board of election inspectors and the watchers to the city or municipal treasurer who shall keep his office open all night on the day of election if necessary for this purpose, and shall provide the necessary facilities for said delivery at the expense of the city or municipality. The book of voters shall be returned to the election registrar who shall keep it under his custody. The treasurer and the election registrar, as the case may be, shall on the day after the election require the members of the board of election inspectors who failed to send the objects referred to herein to deliver the same to him immediately and acknowledge receipt thereof in detail. (Sec. 161, 1978 EC)
Sec. 218. Preservation of the voting record.—The voting record of each polling place shall be delivered to the election registrar who shall have custody of the same, keeping them in a safe place, until such time that the Commission shall give instructions on their disposition. (Sec. 43, BP 697)
Sec. 219. Preservation of the ballot boxes, their keys and disposition of their contents.—(a) The provincial election supervisor, the provincial treasurer and the provincial fiscal shall keep the envelope containing the keys in their possession intact during the period of three months following the election. Upon the lapse of this period, unless the Commission has ordered otherwise, the provincial election supervisor and the provincial fiscal shall deliver to the provincial treasurer the envelope containing the keys under their custody.
(b) The city and municipal treasurer shall keep the ballot boxes under their responsibility for three months and stored unopened in a secure place, unless the Commission orders otherwise whenever said ballot boxes are needed in any political exercise which might be called within the said period, provided these are not involved in any election contest or official investigation, or the Commission or other competent authority shall demand them sooner or shall order their preservation for a longer time in connection with any pending contest or investigation. However, upon showing by any candidate that the boxes will be in danger of being violated if kept in the possession of such officials, the Commission may order them kept by any other official whom it may designate. Upon the lapse of said time and if there should be no order to the contrary, the Commission may authorize the city and municipal treasurer in the presence of its representative to open the boxes and burn their contents, except the copy of the minutes of the voting and the election returns deposited therein which they shall take and keep
(c) In case of calamity or fortuitous event such as fire, flood, storm, or other similar calamities which may actually cause damage to the ballot boxes and/or their contents, the Commission may authorize the opening of said ballot boxes to salvage the ballots and other contents by placing them in other ballot boxes, taking such other precautionary measures as may be necessary to preserve such documents. (Sec. 162, 1978 EC)
Sec. 220. Documents and articles omitted or erroneously placed inside the ballot box.—If after the delivery of the keys of the ballot box to the proper authorities, the board of election inspectors shall discover that some documents or articles required to be placed in the ballot box were not placed therein, the board of election inspectors, instead of opening the ballot box in order to place therein said documents or articles, shall deliver the same to the Commission or its duly authorized representatives. In no instance shall the ballot box be reopened to place therein or take out therefrom any document or article except to retrieve copies of the election returns which will be needed in any canvass and in such excepted instances, the members of the board of election inspectors and watchers of the candidates shall be notified of the time and place of the opening of said ballot box: Provided, however, That if there are other copies of the election returns outside of the ballot box which can be used in canvass, such copies of the election returns shall be used in said canvass and the opening of the ballot box to retrieve copies of the election returns placed therein shall then be dispensed with. (Sec. 163, 1978 EC)
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