ELECTION WATCHER

Election watchers
• A person assigned (as by a political party or candidate) to observe
activities at a polling place to guard against illegal voting. (Meriam –
Webster dictionary).

• A Poll watcher is someone who is appointed by a candidate or a

political party to observe the election day procedures (USLegal).
Importance and purpose:

• Election watchers are important part of the election proceeding or

process because there are the ones who bring additional
transparency and trust to the system.
• The purpose of election watchers is for them to protect the
transparency and openness of election day and to observe the
conduct of election proceeding, and to prevent or minimize election
fraud.
Fundamental Law on Election
• The Omnibus Election Code BP Blg. 881 is the basic law on elections,
however there are several amendments of the said law in order to
modify and amplify it. Despite its several amendments, such pieces of
the law are still in line with the basic purpose of the fundamental law
which is to achieve the holding of free, orderly, peaceful and credible
elections
Section 26 of R.A 7166 (Synchronized National and
Local Election) as amended by RA 9369
• SEC. 26. Official Watchers. - Every registered political party or coalition of political parties, and every candidate shall each be entitled to one
watcher in every polling place and canvassing center: Provided That, candidates for the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, Sangguniang Panlunsod,
or Sangguniang Bayan belonging to the same slate or ticket shall collectively be entitled to only one watcher.
• "The dominant majority party and dominant minority party, which the Commission shall determine in accordance with law, shall each be
entitled to one official watcher who shall be paid a fixed per diem of four hundred pesos (400,00).
• "There shall also recognized six principal watchers, representing the six accredited major political parties excluding the dominant majority
and minority parties, who shall be designated by the Commission upon nomination of the said parties. These political parties shall be
determined by the Commission upon notice and hearing on the basis of the following circumstances:
• "(a) The established record of the said parties, coalition of groups that now composed them, taking into account, among other things, their
showing in past election;
• "(b) The number of incumbent elective officials belonging to them ninety (90) days before the date of election;
• "c) Their identifiable political organizations and strengths as evidenced by their organized/chapters;
• "(d) The ability to fill a complete slate of candidates from the municipal level to the position of President; and
• "(e) Other analogous circumstances that may determine their relative organizations and strengths.
As to the number Official Watcher:

• Every registered political party or coalition of political parties, and

every candidate shall each be entitled to one watcher in every polling
place and canvassing center.
• Candidates for the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, Sangguniang
Panlunsod, or Sangguniang Bayan belonging to the same slate or
ticket shall collectively be entitled to only one watcher
• There shall also recognized six principal watchers, representing the six
accredited major political parties excluding the dominant majority
and minority parties, who shall be designated by the Commission
upon nomination of the said parties.
As to the number of Other Watcher:

• The duly accredited citizens arm of the Commission shall be entitled

to appoint a watcher in every polling place.
• Other civic, religious, professional, business, service, youth and any
other similar organizations, with prior authority of the Commission,
shall be entitled collectively to appoint one watcher in every polling
place
Qualifications of Election Watcher
• No person shall be appointed watcher unless he is a qualified voter of
the city or municipality, of good reputation and shall not have been
convicted by final judgment of any election offense or of any other
crime, must know how to read and write Pilipino, English, Spanish or
any of the prevailing local dialects, and not related within the fourth
civil degree of consanguinity or affinity to the chairman or any
member of the board of election inspectors in the polling place where
he seeks appointment as a watcher.
Qualifications of Election Watcher on May 9, 2016
Elections
• Comelec Resolution No. 10057
SEC. 4. Qualifications of watchers. - No person shall be appointed as a
watcher unless he or she:
Is a registered voter of the city or municipality where he or she is assigned;
Is of good moral character;
Has not been convicted by final judgment of any election offense or of any
other crime;
Knows how to read and write Filipino, English or the prevailing local dialect;
and
Is not related within the fourth civil degree of consanguinity or affinity to the
chairman, or any other member of the BEI in the polling place where he or
she seeks appointment as a watcher.
Rights and Duties of Election Watcher under
Omnibus Election Code Omnibus Election Code
• Sec. 179. Rights and duties of watchers. –
• Upon entering the polling place, the watchers shall present and deliver to the chairman of the
board of election inspectors his appointment, and forthwith, his name shall be recorded in the
minutes with a notation under his signature that he is not disqualified under the second
paragraph of Section 178.
• The appointments of the watchers shall bear the personal signature or the facsimile signature of
the candidate or the duly authorized representatives of the political party or coalition of political
parties who appointed him or of organizations authorized by the Commission under Section 180.
• Rights of All Election Watchers:
• The watchers shall have the right to stay in the space reserved for them inside the polling place.
• They shall have the right to witness and inform themselves of the proceedings of the board of
election inspectors, including its proceedings during the registration of voters,
• to take notes of what they may see or hear, to take photographs of the proceedings and incidents,
if any, during the counting of votes, as well as of election returns, tally boards and ballot boxes,
• to file a protest against any irregularity or violation of law which they believe may have been
committed by the board of election inspectors or by any of its members or by any persons,
• to obtain from the board of election inspectors a certificate as to the filing of such protest and/or
of the resolution thereon,
• to read the ballots after they shall have been read by the chairman, as well as the election returns
after they shall have been completed and signed by the members of the board of election
inspectors without touching them,
• but they shall not speak to any member of the board of election inspectors, or
• to any voter, or among themselves, in such a manner as would distract the proceedings, and
• to be furnished with a certificate of the number of votes in words and figures cast for each
candidate, duly signed and thumbmarked by the chairman and all the members of the board of
election inspectors. Refusal of the chairman and the members of the board of election inspectors
to sign and furnish such certificate shall constitute an election offense and shall be penalized
under this Code.