Amendments to the Revised Election Code

Maximum voter count per precinct is 200 to ensure manageable voting.
Precincts should be contiguous and compact, prioritizing geographic coherence.
Precincts with more than 200 voters are to be re-divided by COMELEC.
Merged municipalities with remote areas exceeding 5 km from existing polling places must have at least one precinct.
Islands or groups of islands with 150 or more voters automatically constitute a precinct.

COMELEC designates polling places at least 70 days before elections.
Polling places should be on the ground floor and adequately sized to hold about 40 voters comfortably.
Locations must be centrally situated relative to voters’ residences, but may be located in municipal poblacion upon voter petition or political party agreement.
Preference is given to public buildings meeting these requirements.

Election inspectors and poll clerks are appointed 50 days before regular elections.
Boards consist of a chairman, two inspectors, and one poll clerk; the chairman and substitute are appointed directly by COMELEC.
Political parties that garnered the largest and second largest votes in the previous presidential election propose one inspector and substitute each.
Poll clerks must be public school teachers appointed by COMELEC.
Political parties must submit their nominees at least 10 days before appointments.
If parties fail to propose nominees, COMELEC appoints inspectors at its discretion.

Inspectors and poll clerks receive a per diem of five pesos for meeting days and ten pesos on election day.

A permanent list of voters is established for each municipality or district, renewed every twelve years.
The list prepared in 1951 remains effective until renewal in 1963.

Boards of inspectors hold six meetings on designated Fridays and Saturdays before elections to prepare and update voter lists.
Eight copies of updated lists per precinct are prepared.

Official ballots are uniform nationwide and provided at public expense.
Ballots take the form of a strip with stubs and detachable numbered coupons.
Ballots display the Philippine coat of arms, official election details, and a secrecy notice.
All offices to be voted for appear on the ballot with space next to each for voter entries.
No markings allowed on reverse side; specific provisions for Arabic script in relevant areas.

Ballots are bound in books of 100, each joined to numbered stubs and detachable coupons.
Records of ballot distribution are maintained by printing director and provincial and municipal treasurers.

Voters must state their name and address to inspectors or poll clerks.
Inspectors announce the voter’s name publicly and issue a single ballot only after confirming eligibility and not being successfully challenged.
Ballot numbers are recorded in registry lists at issuance.
Only authorized personnel may issue ballots.

Voters complete ballots inside voting booths only.
No sharing booths or extended use allowed if others are waiting.
Unauthorized marks, erasures, use of duplicate aids, or exposure of ballot contents prohibited.

Voter stamps thumbmark on ballot coupon and returns folded ballot to inspector or poll clerk.
Ballot number is verified and coupon removed in the voter’s presence.
Ballot deposited in valid votes box; coupon in spoiled votes box.
Voter signs and applies thumbprint in registry list; ballot without proper coupon removal is spoiled.

Pre-count, ballots are counted for discrepancies compared with voter turnout.
Excess ballots are randomly removed, sealed, marked, and stored separately.
Folded or detachable-numbered ballots inappropriately placed are also treated as excess or spoiled ballots.
Marked ballots identified by majority board vote are sealed and excluded from counting.

Boards prepare detailed election result statements indicating total ballots, spoiled ballots, excess ballots, rejected ballots, and votes per candidate.
Statements signed by all board members and kept in quadruplicate.

Provincial boards convene within 15 days post election to canvass votes.
Provincial treasurer presents precinct election returns to the board.
The board tallies votes for national, provincial, and city offices; proclaims winners for local positions.
Results for President and Vice-President certified and transmitted per constitutional requirements.
Senate candidates’ votes tallied and sent to COMELEC.
Candidates may appoint watchers during canvass proceedings.

Multiple signed copies of election results for legislative and local offices are distributed to the provincial treasurer, COMELEC, House of Representatives, and candidates.