As the midterm elections drew near, poll watchdogs noted that automated counting machine (ACM) errors accounted for half of all reported election violations.

According to Vote Report PH and Kontra Daya, ACM errors included paper jams, mismatches between actual votes and voter-verified paper audit trail (VVPAT) results, and overvoting caused by smudging or other markings on ballots.

The poll watchdogs pointed out that "mismatched votes and overvotes consequently disenfranchised voters."

During a press conference earlier, Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairperson George Garcia stated that ACM technical issues were caused by "extreme heat."

The Comelec chief explained that the “humidity causes ink smudges or makes the paper slightly damp, which confuses the scanners. Even just a little dirt or moisture can lead to a rejection.”

Garcia said they had to replace about 311 ACMs due to various issues but noted that no "major issues" were discovered.

However, compared to previous elections, election watchdogs said they observed a spike in cases of overvotes this year.

“While these factors might play a role in the issues with the ACMs, the fact remains that these errors and technical issues will continue because the Comelec fails to be transparent with how they’re testing the election paraphernalia,” said Dr. Danilo Arao, convenor of Kontra Daya.

Vote Report PH and Kontra Daya received a total of 1,140 verified reports of election violations.

Other violations reported include illegal campaigning, disenfranchisement, non-compliance by board of election inspectors or electoral boards, red-tagging, vote-buying or vote-selling, violence, black propaganda and disinformation, tampered ballots, and harassment.