Section 23November 26, 1991, Sec./Art. 23

Officials Ballots. -

(a) Ballots for national and local elections, regular or special, plebiscites and referenda, shall be of uniform size and shall be prescribed by the Commission. They shall be printed in black ink on which security paper with distinctive, clear and legible watermarks that will readily distinguish it from ordinary paper. Each ballot shall be in the shape of a strip with stub and detachable coupon containing the serial number of the ballot, and a space for the thumbmark of the voter on the detachable coupon. It shall bear at the top of the voter on the detachable coupon.

It shall bear at the top of the middle portion thereof the coat-of-arms of the Republic of the Philippines, the word "Official Ballot," the name of the city or the municipality and province in which the election is to be held, the date of the election, and the following notice in English: "Fill out this ballot secretly inside the voting booth. Do not put any distinct mark on any part of this ballot."

(b) The official ballot shall also contain the names of all the officer to be voted for in the election, allowing opposite the name of each office, sufficient space of spaces with horizontal lines where the voter may write the name or names of individual candidates voted for by him.

(c) There shall not be anything printed or written on the back of the ballot except as provided in Section 24 of this Act.

(d) Official ballot for cities and municipalities where Arabic is of general use shall have each of the titles of the offices to be voted for printed in Arabic in addition to and immediately below the English title.

(e) Notwithstanding the preceding provisions, the Commission is hereby authorized to prescribe a different form of official ballot on the same watermarked security paper to facilitate voting by illiterate voter only and to use or adopt the latest technological and electronic devices in connection therewith as provided under Section 52(i) of the Omnibus Election Code.