Machine Glitches, Not Cheating, Top Complaints in Midterm Elections
It wasn’t vote-buying or campaign violence that got the most complaints during the 2025 midterm elections, it was the very machines meant to make voting easier.
According to watchdog group Vote Report PH, over 6,000 election-related problems were flagged during the recent polls. Of the confirmed reports, most were linked to errors from automated counting machines, or ACMs. These aren’t small glitches either, some machines rejected ballots because of smudges, others jammed mid-process, and several printed receipts that didn’t match how people actually voted.
For voters who spent hours lining up, only to have their ballots rejected or misread, frustration ran high. Many felt cheated, not by fellow candidates, but by the system itself.
Poll watchdog Kontra Daya has raised red flags, saying these machine errors are becoming too common. Dr. Danilo Arao, one of their key figures, warned that without better transparency in how the machines are tested before elections, the same problems will just keep happening. He added that technical flaws like these can quietly strip people of their right to vote.
Vote Report PH also tracked other irregularities like illegal campaigning, non-compliance by election workers, and disturbing cases of red-tagging against progressive candidates. But machine-related problems still made up the bulk of the verified incidents.
The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) explained that the heat and humidity during election day might have triggered some of the issues. But critics aren't buying it, saying that’s just part of the job Comelec should have prepared for.
Despite the chaos, vote counting continues. Senator Bong Go is leading the Senate race with over 26 million votes, followed by Bam Aquino. Also in the top five are Bato Dela Rosa, Erwin Tulfo, and Kiko Pangilinan. As for party-lists, Akbayan is currently leading with more than 2.7 million votes.
Every election is a chance to improve. But unless authorities get serious about solving these technical hiccups, voter trust might be the next thing that breaks down.
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