A Pulse Asia survey, released on Monday, July 18, revealed that 82 percent of Filipinos have trust in the outcome of the May 2022 national and local elections.

In the Ulat ng Bayan survey conducted from June 24 to 27 with 1,200 respondents, Pulse Asia said that “the prevailing sentiment is one of trust that the outcome of the recent national and local elections is accurate and credible—82 percent overall, 73 percent to 96 percent across areas, and 79 percent to 82 percent across classes.”

It pointed out that trust in the outcome of the elections was most pronounced in Mindanao (96 percent) and among Class D (82 percent), while it was least manifested in the rest of Luzon (73 percent) and among Class ABC (79 percent).

Meanwhile, 4 percent of Filipinos expressed distrust, while 14 percent were ambivalent on the election results.

Pulse Asia noted that the survey on the accuracy and credibility of the election results was a rider question commissioned by private think tank, Stratbase Inc, which also commissioned the questions on the benefits of automated vote count and whether the automated vote count should be used in future elections. 

Most Filipinos satisfied with automated voting system

Satisfaction with the automated voting system, which employed the use of vote counting machines (VCMs), was expressed by 89 percent of Filipinos.

“This is the predominant sentiment in every area and class (84 percent to 99 percent and 84 percent to 91 percent, respectively),” Pulse Asia said.

“In particular, majorities in the Visayas and Mindanao are very satisfied with the automated voting system (53 percent and 64 percent, respectively) while most of those in the rest of Luzon are somewhat satisfied with the same (53 percent),” it added.

Pulse Asia said that virtually the same percentages of those in Metro Manila and all socio-economic groupings were either very satisfied (42 percent to 45 percent) or somewhat satisfied (42 percent to 48 percent).

The rest of Filipino adults were either dissatisfied with the automated voting system (4 percent) or were undecided on the matter (7 percent).

Moreover, 95 percent of Filipinos who reported voting in the recent elections found it very easy or easy to use the VCMs.

Most Pinoys favor using automated voting system in the future

Pulse Asia also found that 89 percent of Filipinos were in favor of using the automated voting system in future Philippine elections.

“Preference for having automated elections in the future is expressed by 89 percent of Filipino adults. The same view is shared by most, if not nearly all, adults across areas and classes echo this sentiment (82 percent to 97 percent and 87 percent to 92 percent, respectively),” Pulse Asia said.

“Only 4 percent of adults have a contrary opinion on the matter while 7 percent cannot say if they would or would not like to see automated voting continued in future Philippine elections,” it added.