Filipino voters express dismay over issues and anomalies during the 2025 elections
Several problems and anomalies were reported by voters at the height of the 2025 elections on May 12.
On social media, many Filipinos didn’t hold back their sentiments of rage and disappointment after they faced several issues while casting their votes in their respective polling precincts.
Here are some that were reported:
Ink smears from shading markers
Actor and singer Khalil Ramos took to his Instagram stories to warn others to be careful about shading the ballot, as he shared that his party-list vote was not considered due to this mistake.
"I pressed a bit too hard on the first page, and it left marks on the back, right where the party-list section was. Sadly, my party-list vote was invalidated due to 'overvoting.' Don't make the same mistake," he said.
Leaving accidental marks was also the reason why another Filipino voter's ballot was compromised.
"I was able to 'vote' but it wasn’t counted by the machine. The machine said that it was rejected because it detected foreign objects in the ballot. They showed me na nag-smudge yung mga shinade ko na votes after it entered the machine! Hindi daw counted," they claimed on X.
The user went on to share that they were told they couldn't ask for a new ballot. They also lamented how they "wasted time" going to the precinct and lining up to vote, only for their vote to be invalidated.
Other social media users warned about how the markers "do not dry fast," which can result in overblotting to the other page or smudging your ballot.
"To share the story when I voted earlier, the shaded circle smudged my ballot. The machine marked my ballot as 'compromised' when I fed it for the first time. Thanks to the BEI on duty, naaccept naman after another try," they said.
The markers were yet another problem experienced by a person with disability, who claimed that their ballot was rejected four times due to "ink stains."
"How much did you spend on this disaster pen? The ink smears on folders, hands, and ballots," the user questioned the Commission on Elections.
Poll watchers answering the ballots of others
In a video posted on Facebook, a concerned citizen caught some poll watchers appearing to shade the ballots on behalf of other voters.
"Chairman of the [Board of Election Inspectors], I would like to report po that we are having the votes be shaded by the watchers, and the ballot secrecy folders are not being used," the person filming said in the video. "Despite the fact of reporting, tinutuloy pa rin po na mag-shade. Despite being a poll watcher who is disqualified from being an assistor for the elderly."
Commission on Elections Chairman George Garcia said in an ambush interview, as per Philstar.com, that the two poll watchers have been sacked.
"They have no right, they have no power, and they have no authority, these watchers, to become assisters in a precinct," Garcia said in Filipino.
According to Section 11 of Republic Act No. 10366, a person with disability or senior citizen who is illiterate or physically unable to prepare the ballot by himself or herself "may be assisted in the preparation of his or her ballot by a relative by consanguinity or affinity within the fourth civil degree, or if he or she has none, by any person of his or her confidence who belongs to the same household, or by any member of the BEls."
"If the physical inability to prepare the ballot is manifest, obvious, or visible, said voter shall be allowed to be assisted in accomplishing the ballot by a qualified assistor, even if not stated or indicated in the registration record," the measure stated.
"The assistor shall hind himself or herself in a formal document under oath to fill out the ballot strictly in accordance with the instructions of the voter and not to reveal the contents of the ballot prepared by him or her, and shall prepare the ballot for the voter inside the voting booth," it added.
Illegal campaigning
Some campaigners were allegedly seen distributing sample ballots containing names of candidates—this is considered illegal by Comelec, as the period for campaigning ended on May 11.
A social media user posted several pictures on X showing campaigners giving away sample ballots bearing the names of Camille and Cynthia Villar, Carlo Aguilar, Bong Go, Imee Marcos, Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa, Pia Cayetano, Rodante Marcoleta, and more in Las Piñas City.
Illegal campaigning spotted in Pulanglupa Uno, Las Piñas City: sample ballots bearing names of Villar, Aguilar, Go, Marcos, Bato, Cayetano & Marcoleta being distributed—clear violation of election rules.
— aya (@mrhbdp) May 12, 2025
⁰#KontraDaya #VoteReportPH pic.twitter.com/ktp6XcCsbA
More sample ballots were also handed in Manila, Caloocan City, and Iloilo City with the names of Kiko Pangilinan, Benhur Abalos, Bong Revilla, Isko Moreno, and more, as reported by De La Salle University's The LaSallian.
Operations halted due to technical difficulties
Some polling areas experienced technical difficulties that caused a temporary halt to operations.
The Legal Network for Truthful Elections stated that the issue involved the automated counting machines, with the most common problem being the "sensitive scanners that frequently rejected ballots."
"In these instances, the Electoral Board had to temporarily pause operations to clean the scanner, resulting in delays and long queues," the volunteer group stated.
Some areas where this happened include the Guadalupe Elementary School in Cebu City, and the Gaudencio Salvidar Sr. Elementary School in Zamboanga Del Sur.
Additionally, there were instances where voters were mistakenly given more than one ballot.
"LENTE calls on the Comelec, EBs, and security forces to ensure that observers are granted full access, technical issues with machines are addressed promptly and prohibited acts within voting centers are prevented," they implored.
'Take with a grain of salt'
In spite of the piling issues in the precincts, Comelec urged voters to "take with a grain of salt" every allegation of voting irregularity circulating offline and online.
In an interview with reporters, spokesman John Rex Laudiangco apologized to the public in behalf of the poll body for not believing their allegations of discrepancies regarding the automated counting machine.
"Who can really tell who you voted for? If there’s really a question in the process, let’s subject it to legalities." he said.
The 2025 midterm polls are taking place on Monday, May 12. There are over 18,000 positions up for grabs. Tune in to PhilSTAR L!fe's coverage of this year's elections here. (with reports from EJ Macababbad)
