Article 22p. 22

OMNIBUS ELECTION CODE ELECTION LAWS, RULES AND PROCEDURES

from the voters waiting for their turn to cast their votes,

with entrance and exit to give them orderly access to the

table and the booths during the voting.

(d) The polling place shall be so arranged that the

booths, the table, the ballot boxes and the whole polling

place, except what is being written within the booths,

shall be in plain view of the board of election inspectors,

the watchers and other persons who may be within the

polling place.

Section 160. Ballot boxes. -

(a) There shall be in each polling place on the day of

the voting a ballot box one side of which shall be

transparent which shall be set in a manner visible to the

voting public containing two compartments, namely, the

compartment for valid ballots which is indicated by an

interior cover painted white and the compartment for

spoiled ballots which is indicated by an interior cover

painted red. The boxes shall be uniform throughout the

Philippines and shall be solidly constructed and shall be

closed

with

three

different

locks

as

well

as

three

numbered security locks and such other safety devices as

the Commission may prescribe in such a way that they

can not be opened except by means of three distinct keys

and by destroying such safety devices.

(b) In case of the destruction or disappearance of any

ballot

box

on

election

day,

the

board

of

election

inspectors shall immediately report it to the city or

municipal treasurer who shall furnish another box or

receptacle as equally adequate as possible. The election

registrar shall report the incident and the delivery of a

new ballot box by the fastest means of communication

on the same day to the Commission and to the provincial

election supervisor.

Section 161. Tally boards. — At the beginning of the

counting, there shall be placed within the plain view of

the board of election inspectors, watchers and the public,

a tally board where the names of all the registered

candidates or the issues or questions to be voted upon

shall be written, and the poll clerk shall record thereon

the votes received by each of them as the chairman of the

board of election inspectors reads the ballot.

Section

162.

Furnishing

of

ballot

boxes,

forms,

stationeries

and

materials

for

election.

—

The

Commission shall prepare and furnish the ballot boxes,

forms,

stationeries

and

materials

necessary

for

the

registration of voters and the holding of the election.

The provincial, city and municipal treasurer shall have

custody of such election paraphernalia, supplies and

materials as are entrusted to him under the law or rules

of the Commission and shall be responsible for their

preservation and storage, and for any loss, destruction,

impairment

or

damage

of

any

election

equipment,

material or document in their possession furnished under

this Code.

Section 163. Inspection of polling places. — Before

the day of the election, referendum or plebiscite, the

Chairman of the Commission shall, through its authorized

representatives,

see to it that all polling places are

inspected and such omissions and defects as may be

found corrected. The Commission shall keep the reports

on these inspections.

ARTICLE XIV BOARD OF ELECTION

INSPECTORS

Section

164.

Composition

and

appointment

of

board of election inspectors. — At least thirty days before

the

date

when

the

voters

list

is to be prepare in

accordance with this Code, in the case of a regular

election or fifteen days before a special election, the

Commission shall, directly or through its duly authorized

representatives, constitute a board of election inspectors

for each precinct to be composed of a chairman and a

poll clerk who must be public school teachers, priority to

be given to civil service eligibles, and two members, each

representing the two accredited political parties. The

appointment shall state the precinct to which they are

assigned and the date of the appointment.

Section 165. Oath of the members of the board of

election inspectors. — The members of the board of

election inspectors, whether permanent, substitute or

temporary, shall before assuming their office, take and

sign an oath upon forms prepared by the Commission,

before an officer authorized to administer oaths or, in his

absence, before any other member of the board of

election inspectors present, or in case no one is present,

they shall take it before any voter. The oaths shall be sent

immediately to the city or municipal treasurer.

Section 166. Qualification of members of the board

of election inspectors. — No person shall be appointed

chairman, member or substitute member of the board of

election inspectors unless he is of good moral character

and irreproachable reputation, a registered voter of the

city or municipality, has never been convicted of any

election offense or of any other crime punishable by more

than six months of imprisonment, or if he has pending

against him an information for any election offense. He

must be able to speak and write English or the local

dialect.

Section 167. Disqualification. — No person shall serve

as

chairman

or

member

of

the

board

of

election

inspectors if he is related within the fourth civil degree of

consanguinity or affinity to any member of the board of

election inspectors or to any candidate to be voted for in

the polling place or his spouse.

Section

168.

Powers

of

the

board

of

election

inspectors. — The board of election inspectors shall have

the following powers and functions:

a. Conduct the voting and counting of votes in their

respective polling places;

b.

Act

as

deputies

of

the

Commission

in

the

supervision and control of the election in the polling

places wherein they are assigned, to assure the holding of

the same in a free, orderly and honest manner; and

c. Perform such other functions prescribed by this

Code or by the rules and regulations promulgated by the

Commission.

Section 169. Voting privilege of members of board of

election inspectors. — Members of the board of election

inspectors and their substitutes may vote in the polling

place where they are assigned on election day: Provided,

That they are registered voters within the province, city or

municipality where they are assigned: and Provided,

finally, That their voting in the polling places where they

are not registered voters be noted in the minutes of the

board of election inspectors.

Section 170. Relief and substitution of members of

the

board

of

election

inspectors.

—

Public school

teachers who are members of the board of election

inspectors shall not be relieved nor disqualified from

acting as such members, except for cause and after due

hearing.

Any member of the board of election inspectors,

nominated by a political party, as well as his substitute

may at any time be relieved from office and substituted

with another having the legal qualifications upon petition

of the authorized representative of the party upon whose

nomination the appointment was made, and it shall be

unlawful to prevent said person from, or disturb him in,

the performance of the duties of the said office. A record

of each case of substitution shall be made, setting forth

therein the hour in which the replaced member has

ceased in the office and the status of the work of the

board of election inspectors. Said record shall be signed

by each member of the board of election inspectors

including the incoming and outgoing officers.

Section

171.

Vacancy

in

the

board

of

election

inspectors. — Every vacancy in the board of election

inspectors shall be filled for the remaining period in the

manner hereinbefore prescribed.

© Compiled by RGL

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