ELECTION CODE

of the
UNIVERSITY OF SAN CARLOS
SUPREME STUDENT COUNCIL

Be with enacted by the Supreme Student Parliament in session assembled:

ARTICLE I. – GENERAL PROVISIONS

SECTION 1. Title. This Code shall be known and cited as the Election Code of the University of San Carlos - Supreme
Student Council.

SECTION 2. Applicability. – This Code shall govern all elections of officers and, to the extent, all referenda and plebiscites
of the Supreme Student Council.

SECTION 3. Obligations to Vote. – It shall be the obligation of a bonafide student of the USC to cast his vote.

SECTION 4. Objectives. – The objectives of this code shall be:

a. to institute fundamental election procedures, guidelines, and regulations from the filing of certificates of candidacy to
the settlement of post-election protests;

b. to regulate the conduct of electoral activities and expenses, insuring clarification of election issues and absence of
anomalies and unfairness;

c. to define the qualifications of candidates and voters;

d. to demarcate the formation, membership, and responsibilities of the University Student COMELEC;

SECTION 5. Definition of Terms. – For the purpose of this Code, the following terms shall be defined as follows:

a. University of San Carlos Supreme Student Council (USC-SSC). This shall refer to the duly constituted central student
council of the whole University of San Carlos excluding the elementary and high school levels.

b. USC - SSC Elections - This shall refer to elections for all positions in the USC - SSC, namely the President, Vice
President, and Councilors elected at large.

c. COMELEC - This shall refer to the USC - SSC Commission on Elections.

ARTICLE II. – THE COMMISSION ON ELECTIONS

SECTION 1. Composition of COMELEC. – There shall be a COMELEC composed of the Chairman, three (3) Assistant
Chairmen representing the three campuses of the University (Main, Talamban, and Teacher's Education Center) and eight (8)
Collegiate Council Commissioners (CCC), four (4) Poll Clerks and the three (3) Poll Marshalls.

SECTION 2. Appointments of the Members of the COMELEC – The Chairman and the three (3) Assistant Chairman shall
be appointed by the President of the USC – SSC and approved by the Commission on Appointments.

In addition, the Chairman of the COMELEC may appoint a Commission Treasurer, an Auditor, a Secretary, a Public
Relations Officer and a Property Custodian.

SECTION 3. Powers and Functions of the COMELEC. – In addition to the powers and functions conferred upon it by the
Constitution, the Commission shall have exclusive charge of the enforcement and administration of all laws relative to the
conduct of elections for the purpose of ensuring free, orderly, and honest elections, and shall:

a. frame and enforce detailed rules and regulations harmoniously with the provisions of this code, for the proper execution
of the USC - SSC elections;

b. hear cases of violations of the elections code and rules, impose penalties, prescribe, and answer questions concerning
them and their implementation;

c. disqualify candidates failing to satisfy requirements;'

d. process certificates of candidacy;

e. canvass election returns for USC – SSC positions, and proclaim the winning candidates;
 f. supervise and coordinate the conduct of elections;

g. take responsibility over all election materials and records of the whole electoral affair; and

h. carry out a continuing and systematic campaign through newspapers of general circulation, radios, and other media
forms to educate the students, fully inform them of matters relative to the work duties of the COMELEC and necessity
of clean, free, orderly, and honest electoral processes.

SECTION 4. Position and Functions. – The COMELEC shall have the following field offices with their respective
functions:

a. Chairman
1. calls and presides over meetings of members of the COMELEC;
2. executes all policies or resolutions duly passed by the Commission; and
3. acts as official representative of the COMELEC.

b. Assistant Chairmen
1. performs the duties of the Chairman in their respective campuses;
2. assists the Chairman in his duties; and
3. performs such other duties as the Chairman may from time to time impose upon his office.

c. Secretary
1. keeps records of all the minutes and activities of the COMELEC;
2. keeps an account of all official records of the COMELEC;
3. performs such other duties as the Chairman may from time to time impose upon his office;
4. has no voting power in the COMELEC.

d. Treasurer
1. is responsible for all financial matters of the COMELEC;
2. performs such other duties as the Chairman may from time to time impose upon his office; and
3. has no voting power in the COMELEC.

e. Auditor
1. is responsible for auditing financial expenses of the COMELEC
2. performs such other duties as the Chairman may from time to time impose upon his office; and
3. has no voting power in the COMELEC.

f. Public Relation Officer

1. makes public all activities of the COMELEC;
2. performs such other duties as the Chairman may from time impose upon his office;
3. has no voting power in the COMELEC.

g. Property Custodian
1. shall be responsible for all election materials such as ballots, ballot boxes, etc.; and
2. has no voting power in the Commission.

h. Collegiate Council Commissioner

1. calls and presides over meetings of member of the Collegiate Council COMELEC Branch;
2. acts as an official representative of the Collegiate Council COMELEC Branch; and
3. performs such other duties as the Assistant Chairman of its campus may from time to time impose upon his office.

i. Poll Clerks
1. takes care of their Council's official voter's list, the ballots, and ballot boxes;
2. inspect student voter's identification card (school ID card) or certification of his enrollment in the college and ID's loss
by respective chairman or Dean in case of loss of ID and make the voter sign in a space corresponding to his name in the
official voter's list; and
3. give the voter a ballot.

j. Poll Marshalls
1. see to it that the ballot is well-handled and inserted into the ballot box; and
2. are responsible for the protection and counting of ballots in their respective precincts.

SECTION 5. Qualification of Members of the University COMELEC. – No member of the COMELEC should be involved
in any partisan political party/activity. The members must be qualified voters in their respective collegiate councils. Being a
member of the COMELEC, they must not be candidates nor shall run for any elective position in the USC – SSC.

ARTICLE III. – ELECTION OF USC – SSC

SECTION 1. Composition. The USC – SSC shall be composed of the President, Vice – President, twenty one (21) Councilors.
SECTION 2. Regular Elections of the USC – SSC Members. – The regular election for the President and Vice - President of
the shall be held on the 1st Friday of March and on the same day every year thereafter. The President elect and the Vice -
President elect shall assume office upon taking oath of office.

The ten (10) of the twenty one (21) councilors shall be the first ten (10) candidates who garnered the most voters. After
which the eleven (11) shall be among the remaining candidates who got the next highest votes from the student body.

SECTION 3. Special Elections. – If after the declaration of the winners, should there be any unfilled office in the USC – SSC,
a special election shall be called for by the COMELEC.

If after the declaration of the winners, should there be any unfilled office in the USC – SSC , a special election shall be
called for by the COMELEC three weeks thereafter. Should unfilled position be any of the eleven (11) council representatives,
the candidate garnering the next highest number of vote hall hold the position.

SECTION 4. Term of Office. – The term of office of the duly elected USC – SSC officials shall end on the day the new set of
USC – SSC members have taken their oath, as provided for in the USC – SSC Constitution.

SECTION 5. End of Tenure. – The term of office of any incumbent USC – SSC official shall automatically terminate for any
of the causes specified hereunder:

a. upon death, sickness, resignation or inability to fulfill the powers and duties of the said office;

b. upon disqualification from re - enrolment for any semester during the school year of his term for academic reasons,
provided that automatic termination shall take effect only upon official written notice from the Dean or Chairman of his
College or Department;

c. upon his receipt of the official written notice issued by competent college/university authority of any of the following:

1. honorable dismissal
2. suspension for more than one month
3. expulsion

d. upon failure to re - enroll for any semester during his term.

SECTION 6. Filling of Vacancy. – Vacancies arising from the above mentioned causes shall be filled in the following manner:

a. If at the time fixed for the beginning of, the term of the President, the president-elect shall have died or is incapacitated,
the Vice- President shall automatically assume the office of the President. The Councilor with the highest number of votes
upon taking his oath of office shall assume the officer of the Vice President. The vacancy occurred in the office of the
Councilor who assumed the office of the Vice President shall remain vacant unless otherwise the SSC calls for a special
election fill-up the vacancy

b. If at the time fixed for the beginning of the term, both the President and the Vice President shall have died or is
incapacitated, the Councilors with the highest number of vote of the preceding election shall act as temporary Vice President
until such a President and Vice President shall have been chosen. Within thirty days after the occurrence of the vacancies of
both offices of the President and Vice President, the COMELEC shall then call a special election for President and Vice
President to occupy the said vacancies.

c. No special election shall be called two months prior to the next regular election.

d. If the President shall not have been chosen before the time fixed for the beginning of his term, or if the President shall
have failed to qualify, then the
e. Vice President shall act as President until such a President shall have been chosen and qualified. If both the President
and the Vice President shall not have been chosen or shall have failed to qualify, the Councilors with the highest and second
highest number of, votes shall temporarily act as President and Vice President respectively until such a President shall have
been chosen and qualified.

f. In the event of removal of the President from office, or his death, resignation, or inability to discharge the powers and
duties of the said office, the Vice President shall automatically assume the position to serve for unexpired term. In the case
of removal, death, resignation, or inability of both, the Supreme Student Council shall then call for a special election to
provide for both the President and Vice President. The Councilor with the highest number of votes shall temporarily assume
the vacated offices. Such Councilors shall act accordingly until the liability be removed or a President and Vice President
shall have been elected.

g. In the event of removal of a Councilor from office, or his death, resignation, or inability to discharge the power and
duties of the said office, the Supreme Student Council shall then call for a special election top provide for the vacancy,
otherwise the position shall remain vacant.
 ARTICLE IV. QUALIFICATIONS OF CANDIDATES

SECTION 1. Qualifications for Presidency and Vice – Presidency. – Pursuant to the USC – SSC Constitution, no student
shall be elected to the Presidency or Vice – Presidency unless:

a. he is a natural born Filipino citizen;

b. he is a bonafide student of the University of San Carlos with the minimum load of fifteen (15) units for undergraduate
students and six (6) units for graduate students;

c. he has resided in the University for at least one year immediately preceding the elections for the President and the Vice-
President, and one semester for the Councilors;

d. he has not been connected with the University for at least one year immediately preceding the elections through direct or
indirect employment;

e. he is not graduating until the first semester of the next School year;

f. he must be a qualified voter of his college;

g. has no record of suspension from the Administration by a final judgment rendered due to cases involving moral
turpitude

SECTION 2. Qualifications for the officers of Council. – Pursuant to the USC – SSC Constitution, no student shall become an
officer of the Supreme Student Council unless:

a. he is a natural born Filipino citizen;

b. he is a bonafide student of the University of San Carlos with a minimum load of fifteen (15) units for undergraduate
students or six (6) units for graduate students;

c. he has residence in his college for two consecutive semester immediately preceding the elections;

d. he must not connected with the University through direct or indirect employment;

e. he is not graduating within the term of office;

f. he must be qualified voter in his college;

g. has no record of suspension from the Administration by a final judgment rendered due to cases involving moral
turpitude

SECTION 3. Disqualification. Any candidate who, declared by final decision by the SSC Supreme Court, guilty of having:

a. given money or other material consideration to influence, induce, or corrupt voters;

b. committed acts of terrorism to enhance his candidacy;

c. spent in his election campaign an amount in excess of that allowed by this Code, shall be disqualified from continuing as
a candidate, or if he has been elected, shall terminate the term of office.

SECTION 4. Nuisance candidates. - The Commission may motu proprio or upon a verified petition of an interested party,
refuse to give due course to or cancel a certificate of candidacy if it is shown that said certificate has been filed to put the
election process in mockery or disrepute or to cause confusion among the voters by the similarity of the names of the registered
candidates or by other circumstances or acts which clearly demonstrate that the candidate has no bona fide intention to run for
the office for which the certificate of candidacy has been filed and thus prevent a faithful determination of the true will of the
electorate.

ARTICLE V. QUALIFICATIONS OF VOTERS

SECTION 1. Qualifications of Voters. In order to qualify as a voter in the elections, a student;

a. must be officially enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate or certificate or diploma degree program of the University of
San Carlos;

b. enrolled in two or more colleges shall be registered as such, only in the college where he is primarily enrolled.;
SECTION 2. Cross – Enrollment from other Institution of Learning. – A cross – enrollee, registrant from other institutions
of learning, may be qualified as an elector if he is enrolled in not less than two subjects and only in the college where he/she
takes the greatest number of his cross - enrolled subjects or special subjects.

SECTION 3. Disqualification as a Voter. – A student is disqualified to vote in any electoral exercise when;

a. he has been suspended for a period of more than one month as of the election day;

b. he has been found guilty of violating any provision of the USC – SSC Constitution within one year immediately
preceding the elections.

ARTICLE VI. ELECTION CALENDAR

SECTION 1. Date of Elections. – Election shall be held on the first Friday of March.

SECTION 2. Election Duration. – The election period shall start on the first day of the exposition of the USC Student Election
Code and shall last for not more than six weeks.

SECTION 3. First Week Schedule. – The activities of the first week of the election period shall include the following:

a. start of COMELEC Information Campaign (room to room. posters, etc.).

b. registration of political parties (provided that the deadline for the filing shall be at 6:00 in the evening) on Saturday;

c. filing of certificates of candidacy, on Saturday

SECTION 4. Second Week Schedule. – The schedule of activities for the second week of the election period shall include the
following:

a. release of the official list of registered political parties on Friday.

b. filing of protest against candidates with the COMELEC provided that such protest be submitted not later than
Wednesday;

c. release of final officials list of candidates on Friday;

d. last day of information drive on Friday.

SECTION 5. Third Week Schedule. – The schedule of activities for the third week of the election period shall include the
following:

a. start of campaign period on Monday;

b. release of common leaflets aimed and raising of common billboards.

SECTION 6. Fourth Week Schedule. – The schedule of activities of this period be the following:

a. grand rally at Talamban Campus on Tuesday;

b. grand rally at Main Campus, last day of campaign period and deadline of pre-election protests on Wednesday;

c. Thursday is a rest day;

d. Election Day on Friday.

SECTION 7. Fifth Week Schedule. – The schedule of activities of this period shall be the following:

a. release of election results — pending, post-election protest, and submission of Report of Expenditures on Monday;

b. deadline of Post-election protest on Wednesday;

c. release of official list of duly elected USC-SSC officials on Thursday;

d. oath taking and proclamation of winners on Friday

Note: Submission of entries must be in the COMELEC office by 6:00 p.m. in the evening of the prescribed date immediately
on the next school day.

ARTICLE VII. POLITICAL PARTIES

SECTION 1. Definition. – The following shall be defined as:

a. Candidate - this shall refer to any person aspiring or seeking an elective position the USC-SSC, regardless of whether or not
the said person has already filed his certificate of candidacy or not been nominated by any political party, or group.

b. Political Party- "Political party" or "party" when used in this Code, means an organized group of persons pursuing the same
ideology, political ideas or platforms of government and includes its branches and divisions. To acquire juridical personality,
quality it for subsequent accreditation, and to entitle it to the rights and privileges herein granted to political parties, a political
party shall first be duly registered with the COMELEC.
A political party must have at least ten (10) members for its political machinery.
An independent candidate is permitted to run. Both must have a platform, candidates of any party must not be beyond the
required number of councilors.

SECTION 2. Registration. – Political parties must register or renew their registration with the COMELEC, the first three days
of Election Calendar, before their political machinery can be recognized and avail of campus facilities.
A registration form shall be accomplished which shall contain the name of the party, date of formation of the party, number of
members, list of officers with respective addresses and signatures. A copy of the constitution of the party, its platform of
government and organizational structure will also be required. An amount of five hundred pesos (500.00) registration fee for
each political party is required.

SECTION 3. Supervision. – The University and COMELEC shall have the power to impose rules and regulations and exact
obedience candidate from political parties of independent candidate under pain of penalties enunciated by the Code.

ARTICLE VIII. CERTIFICATE OF CANDIDACY

SECTION 1. Filing of Certificate of Candidacy. – No person shall be eligible for any elective public office unless he files a
sworn certificate of candidacy within the period fixed herein.

SECTION 2. Contents of Certificate Candidacy. – The certificate of candidacy shall state that the person filing it is
announcing his candidacy for the office stated therein and that he is eligible for said office; his name; stage name; length of
residence in the University; course and year; current academic load; his present organizational affiliations and positions; the
political party to which he belongs; civil status; his date of birth; residence; that he will support and defend the USC Constitution
and will maintain the true faith and allegiance thereto; that the obligation imposed by his oath is assumed voluntarily, without
mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that the facts stated in the certificate of candidacy are true to the best of his
knowledge.

SECTION 3. Other Requirements. – Together with the certificate of candidacy, the following must be submitted:

a. certification from the Dean or Chairman pursuant to Article IV, Sec.2b of this code;

b. filing fee of one hundred pesos (P100.00);

c. two (2x2) black and white / colored pictures.

Provided that other requirement not submitted by a candidate during the deadline shall be complied with not later than
the Wednesday of the following week with ten pesos (P50.00) penalty for every requirement.
There shall be no extension other that stipulated herein.

SECTION 4. Petition to Deny Due Course to or Cancel a Certificate of Candidacy. – A written petition seeking to deny due
course or to cancel a certificate of candidacy may be filed by any person exclusively on the ground that any material
representation contained therein as required under Sec.2 hereof is false. The petition may be filed at any time until the third day
of the third week of the Election Calendar and shall be decided, after due notice and hearing, not later than Thursday of the same
week.

SECTION 5. Withdrawal of Certificate of Candidacy. – No certificate of candidacy duly filed shall be considered withdrawn,
unless the candidate presents his notice of withdrawal, duly signed by the candidate and the political party chairman, to the
COMELEC sometime before the day of elections.

SECTION 6. Candidate Holding Appointive Office or Position. – Persons holding appointive office or position in the USC –
SSC shall first resign from his position before filing his certificate of candidacy.

ARTICLE IX. CAMPAIGN AND ELECTION PROPAGANDA

SECTION 1. COMELEC Information Bulletin. – The Commission shall cause the printing and supervise the dissemination
of bulletins to be known as “COMELEC Bulletin”. Said bulletin shall be disseminated to the voters or displayed in each campus
as to give due prominence thereto. It shall also contain the information on how to vote.
SECTION 2. Lawful Election Propaganda. – Lawful election propaganda shall include:

a. Pamphlets, leaflets, cards, decals, stickers, or other written or printed materials of a size not more than eight and one -
half inches in width and fourteen inches in length;

b. Cloth, paper or cardboard posters, whether framed or posted, with an area not exceeding two feet by three feet, except
that, at the site and on the occasion of a public meeting or rally, streamers not exceeding three feet by eight feet in size, shall
be allowed: Provided that only one streamer be placed in each campus during the campaign period;

c. Other forms of gimmickry such as pins, bookmarks, buttons, badges, and t – shirts are allowed for as long as they do not
exceed the budget limit: Provided that they shall only be worn during the campaign period;

d. Sample ballots be distributed only during the election day.

SECTION 3. Removal, Destruction or Defacement of, Lawful Election Propaganda Prohibited. – It shall be unlawful for
any person during the campaign period to remove, destroy, obliterate, or in any manner deface or tamper with, or prevent the
distribution of lawful election propaganda.

SECTION 4. Prohibited forms of Election Propaganda. – It shall be unlawful:

a. To print, publish, post or distribute any poster, pamphlet, circular or printed matter urging voters to vote against any
candidate or political party;

b. To purchase, manufacture, request, distribute or accept electoral propaganda gadgets, such as pens, lighters, fans of
whatever nature, flashlights, athletic goods or materials, wallets, shirts, hats, bandanas, matches, cigarettes and the like.

Any prohibited propaganda gadget or advertisement shall be stopped, confiscated or torn down by the representative of
the COMELEC upon specific authority of the COMELEC.

SECTION 5. Chalk Brigade. – Campaign propaganda within rooms shall be limited to chalk brigades’ one side of the board
occupying one and a half by three feet (1 1/2x3) area.

SECTION 6. Comelec Poster Area. – Whenever practicable, the Commission shall also designate and provide for a common
poster area in strategic places in each campus.

SECTION 7. Room to Room Campaign. – Permits with the original signature of the COMELEC Chairman shall be presented
to the teacher/instructor by the candidate/political party for the purpose of room-to-room campaign.
Room to room campaign shall be limited only to fifteen (15) minutes.

SECTION 8. Election Rallies. – The COMELEC shall organize at least one election rally in each of the three USC campuses.
These rallies shall be held on the fifth week of the Election Calendar.

SECTION 9. Mode of Conduct. – No one especially candidates and party members shall be tolerated doing “mudslinging”,
“personality assassinations”, “libelous speeches”, or behavior not consistent with the standard of decency as adjudged by the
COMELEC.
Any of such violations shall be accorded first and second warnings until third, which shall constitute sufficient penalties.

SECTION 10. Candidate/Political Party Expenditures. – Each political party is allowed to spend with a maximum of fifteen
thousand pesos (P15,000.00). Independent candidates shall be fixed at seven hundred pesos (P700.00).
Donations shall be excluded from candidate/party expenditures: Provided that the same shall be reflected in the Report
of Expenditures to be submitted to the COMELEC not later than three days after elections.

ARTICLE X. ELECTION PROPER

SECTION 1. Election Time. – The election time shall be from eight in the morning until eight in the evening with thirty
minutes breaks for lunch and supper.

SECTION 2. Precincts and Polling Places. – There shall be sixteen (16) electing centers, seven (7) for the Main Campus, eight
(8) for the Talamban Campus, and one (1) for the TEC campus.

SECTION 3. Officials Watchers of Candidates. – Every registered political party, coalition of political parties and every
independent candidate shall each be entitled to two watchers in every polling place. No person shall be appointed watcher unless
he is a qualified voter of the University.
Upon entering the polling place, the watchers shall present and deliver to the Head of the Collegiate Council
Commission, and forthwith, his name shall be recorded in the minutes with a notation under his signature that he is not a
disqualified voter.

SECTION 4. Casting of Votes:

 a. The CCC shall meet at the polling place at seven o'clock in the morning of the election day and shall have the certified
list of voters, the certified list of candidates, ballot boxes, the official ballots, the forms to be used, and all other materials
which maybe necessary.

b. CCC shall open the ballot box, empty its compartments exhibit them to all those present and being empty, lock its cover
with a padlock.

c. The CCC shall forthwith show to the public and the watchers present the package of official ballots.

d. The box shall remain locked until the voting is finished and the counting begins.

SECTION 5. Manner of Obtaining / Preparing Ballots. - The voters shall approach the Poll clerk and shall give his name and
his I.D no. or other data concerning his identification. If the clerk is satisfied with his identity, the voter shall forthwith affix his
signature in a proper space in the voter's list. The Clerk shall deliver to the voter one ballot correctly folded. The voter upon
receiving the ballots shall fill up the ballots at the voting space provided and shall fold it in the same manner as when he
received it. In the presence of all the members of the CCC, he shall affix his thumb mark on the corresponding space in the
coupon, and deliver the folded ballot to the Clerk.

The Clerk, after finding everything to be in order, shall then detach the coupon in the presence of the CCC and of the voter shall
deposit the folded ballot in the compartment of valid ballots.

ARTICLE XI. CANVASSING OF VOTES

SECTION 1. Handling of Election Materials/Records. – The CCC shall be responsible for the direct handling of election
materials and records until the final determination of the post return of the particular ballot box per Collegiate Council.
Providing, afterwards, both the materials and records shall be turned over to the Board of Election Canvassers.

SECTION 2. Counting of Votes. – As soon as the voting is finished, the CCC shall note number of actual voters as shown in
the official voters list. They shall open the ballot box and count the number of ballots and find out if both figures tally. If there
are more ballots present than the number of voters who voted, the CCC without seeing the contents shall pick at random the
number of ballots in excess so that the number of participating electors and the number of ballots will coincide. These excess
ballots shall not be read in the counting. If the number of ballots is less than the number of votes cast, the same shall be noted
but no addition to the ballots in the box shall be made.

SECTION 3. Manner of Counting Votes. – The CCC shall unfold the ballots one by one and read the names of candidates
voted for the said office as they were in the order voted. The CCC shall sign at the back of the ballot immediately after it is
counted. The poll clerk shall record in the election return and tally board each vote as the names voted are read.
After all the ballots have been read, the poll clerks shall sum – up the totals recorded for each candidate, and the
aggregate sum and record such in the election return and on the tally board. The Election Returns shall be certified by the CCC
and the poll watchers of the said precinct.

SECTION 4. Rules for Appreciation of Ballots. – The CCC shall observe the following rules:

1. Where only the first name of a candidate or only his surname is written, the vote for such candidate is valid, if there is no
other candidate with the same first name or surname for the same office.

2. When on the ballot is written a single word which is the first name of the candidate and which is at the same time the
surname of his opponent, the vote shall be counted in favor of the latter.

3. When two or more words are written on the same line of the ballot, all of which are surnames of two or more candidates,
the same shall not be counted for any of them.

4. When two words are written on the ballot, one of which is the first name of the candidate and the other is the surname of
his opponent, the vote shall not be counted for either.

5. A name or surname incorrectly written which, when read, has a sound similar to the name or surname of a candidate, when
correctly written shall be counted in his favor.

6. When a name of a candidate appears in a space of the ballot for an office for which he is a candidate and in another space
for which he is not a candidate, the former shall be considered a stray vote.

7. When in a space in the ballot there appears a name of a candidate that is erased and another clearly written, the vote is valid
for the latter.

8. The erroneous initial of the first name or the middle name which accompanies the correct surname of a candidate shall not
annul the vote in favor of the latter.
9. That if, the nickname used is unaccompanied by the name or surname of a candidate and it is the one by which he is
generally or popularly known in school, the name shall be counted in favor of said candidate, if there is no other candidate
for the same office with the same nickname.

10. Any vote containing initials only which is illegible or which does not sufficiently identify the candidate for whom it is
intended shall be considered as a stray vote but shall not invalidate the whole ballot.

11. If the candidates voted for exceed the number of those to be elected, the ballot is valid, but the votes shall be counted only
in favor of the candidates whose name are firstly written by the voter within the spaces provided for said office in the ballot
until the authorized number is covered.

12. Ballots containing the name of a candidate printed and pasted on a blank space of the ballot or affixed thereto through any
mechanical process are totally null and void.

13. Any vote cast in favor of a candidate who has been disqualified by final judgment shall be considered as stray and shall not
be counted but it shall not invalidate the ballot.

14. The accidental tearing or perforation of a ballot does not annul it.

15. Failure to remove the detachable coupon from a ballot does not annul such ballot.

16. The ballot without thumb mark of the voter shall be considered invalid.

17. Block voting shall consider the ballot null and void.

SECTION 4. Settlement of Questions. – Any question or controversy concerning a vote or ballot from one of the CCC or
recognized party watchers shall be decided immediately by the CCC.

SECTION 5. Canvassing of Election Returns. – Immediately after the counting of ballots the CCC shall then endorse the
election returns to any of the Board of Canvassers. The board shall constitute the Chairman and three Assistant Chairman of the
Comelec.

SECTION 6. Election Resulting in Tie. – Whenever it shall appear from the canvass that two or more candidates have received
an equal and highest number of votes, or in cases where two or more candidates are to be elected for the same position and two
or more candidates received the same number of votes for the last place in the number to be elected, the board of canvassers,
after recording this fact in its minutes, shall by resolution, upon five days notice to all the tied candidates, hold a special public
meeting at which the board of canvassers shall proceed to the drawing of lots of the candidates who have tied and shall proclaim
as elected the candidates who may be favored by luck, and the candidates so proclaimed shall have the right to assume office in
the same manner as if he had been elected by plurality of vote. The board of canvassers shall forthwith make a certificate stating
the name of the candidate who had been favored by luck and his proclamation on the basis thereof.

Nothing in this section shall be construed as depriving a candidate of his right to contest the election.