JASIN: Voters and political analysts will be able to monitor turnout in real time during the Melaka polls on Saturday (Nov 14), with the Election Commission (EC) continuing its OCR-VA tracking system.
EC deputy chairman Dr Azmi Sharom said the system allows the public to access updated voter attendance figures through the commission’s website without waiting for hourly announcements.
“Previously, we had to wait for updates every hour. Now, you can get the figures in real time.
“This is useful data not only for us but also for political analysts and anyone interested in the election,” he told reporters after inspecting final polling preparations at Politeknik Merlimau here on Friday (Nov 13).
Azmi said the system was part of the commission’s efforts to modernise election administration and improve the collection of voter turnout data.
He acknowledged that election workers needed to familiarise themselves with the technology but said it was straightforward to operate.
“It is quite simple and accurate. Our election workers have not found it overly confusing or complicated,” he said.
Azmi assured voters that the system would not compromise ballot secrecy or significantly affect the time needed to cast their votes.
“It has no effect on the secrecy of your vote. It also does not seriously affect the time taken to vote,” he said.
He hoped the public and other stakeholders would welcome the initiative as part of efforts to improve the electoral process.
“This is one of our efforts to modernise the electoral system, and we hope the public and all stakeholders will view it positively,” he said.
