Summary
12 May 2010
Early results from the Philippines' presidential election show that Benigno Aquino, known as Noy Noy, has a big lead. But officials are assessing the impact of problems with the voting machines which were used for the first time.
Reporter:
Kate McGeown
Tests revealed a problem with the machines' memory cards
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Report
Tens of thousands of people in the Philippines have had to wait for hours in the hot sun to cast their votes due to problems with the new automated voting system.
Critics had warned of problems in the days before the polls when tests revealed a glitch in the memory cards. Votes for one candidate were being incorrectly registered as votes for someone else.
Nothing this serious has been discovered yet on polling day but several machines have jammed and even the main presidential front runner Noy Noy Aquino had difficulties. The machine he was about to use broke down before he could cast his ballot.
The main concern is that problems with the voting could lead to problems on the ground. Elections in the Philippines are often marred by unrest and there have been several fatal shooting incidents already since the polls opened.
Kate McGeown, 大象传媒 News
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Vocabulary
- to cast their votes
to make their choices for candidates in an election
- the polls
the process of voting and the counting of votes
- a glitch
a small and sudden problem, especially with technology such as a computer
- incorrectly registered
recorded to the wrong person (in the case, not the candidate it was intended for)
- jammed
a piece of equipment that is jammed has some part of it that is blocked or not moving correctly
- main presidential front runner
the candidate for president who is expected to win
- broke down
stopped working
- cast his ballot
make his choice for a candidate in the election
- on the ground
in the country
- marred by
spoiled by
