COMELEC: No Failure of Election in the 2025 Midterm Polls
A recap of today's events.
(SPOT.ph) Reports of machine glitches, questionable assistance at polling stations, and even incidents of election-related violence surfaced during the 2025 midterm polls—but the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) Chairman George Garcia stated there was no failure of elections.
Several problems surfaced during the early hours of voting, with Garcia confirming in a press conference that 311 automated counting machines had to be replaced due to issues with scanners, thermal printers, and paper supplies. Although the number is not ideal, Garcia pointed out that this was significantly lower than in the 2022 national elections, when over 2,000 machines malfunctioned.
Over 18,000 positions are up for grabs in this year's elections, including 12 senators, 254 district representatives, 63 party-list representatives, and 17,942 local officials such as governors, board members, mayors, and councilors.
Also read: 5 Voting Myths to Watch Out for Before You Head to the Polls
Voter issues on election day
On social media, some voters reported that their ballots were flagged due to alleged overvoting, even though they claimed to have shaded only the allowed number of candidates. This led to suspicions that ink from the official markers may have smudged or bled through the paper, causing vote-counting machines (VCMs) to misread the ballots.
Be extra careful when shading your ballots. I pressed a bit too hard on the first page, and it left marks on the back, right where the partylist section was. Sadly, my partylist vote was invalidated due to “overvoting.” Don’t make the same mistake. #Halalan2025
— Khalil Ramos (@TheKhalilRamos) May 12, 2025
URGENT: We have received reports that ink penetrates the backside of ballots kapag dinidiinan. Tumatagos at naka-count as a vote for a partylist in the back, resulting in “overvoting”.
— Reyna Valmores Salinas (@ReynaValmores) May 12, 2025
Para maiwasan ito, WAG DIINAN ang shading sa harap para di tumagos sa likod. #Halalan2025
One of the most viral complaints involved a Facebook video showing two poll watchers in Abra allegedly shading ballots for elderly voters. COMELEC has since dismissed the poll watchers, who now face legal action. Under election rules, only electoral board members are allowed to assist voters who are elderly, have disabilities, or are illiterate—and only if they have no companions present.
In Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao del Norte, voting at Camp Siongco National High School was delayed for nearly 10 hours after supporters of a vice mayoral candidate blocked the delivery of election materials, citing concerns over the composition of the electoral board. To resolve the standoff, COMELEC appointed 312 police officers to serve as members of a Special Electoral Board. Voting finally began around 2:00 p.m.
Violent incidents were also recorded in various parts of the country on election day. In Silay City, Negros Occidental, a shooting left two people dead and seven others injured. In Basilan, two separate incidents claimed seven lives. In New Corella, Davao del Norte, a gunfight between rival political supporters resulted in two deaths and two injuries. In Abra, gunfire near a polling center injured two. Despite these incidents, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said the overall conduct of the elections remained “very peaceful.”
When can we expect the final election results?
Official results for the midterm elections are expected to be released within a week following election day. This timeline allows for the thorough canvassing and verification of votes to ensure the integrity of the electoral process.
In the meantime, the public can monitor partial and unofficial results through GMA, ABS-CBN, and Inquirer.net, which are connected to COMELEC’s transparency server. These platforms provide real-time updates as election returns are transmitted from automated counting machines across the country.
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