The dust settled in the recent village and youth elections. Or so we thought. Expectedly, some losers cry fraud. Also expectedly, who and how it was committed is not specified. Still expectedly, the accusation of fraud is sweeping yet couched in general terms. More expectedly, no one lost. Everyone was just cheated. By whom, where, when and how, no one is telling under oath, except those who protested in court. It s not a guarantee either, most of the time they fail the test of specificity. Truth is in the details, falsity in ambiguity.
There were disagreements in ballot appreciation. Expectedly, it is manual elections where ambiguous votes are resolved by discretion. The electoral board may appreciate either way and still be right, for as long as there is basis in one of the rules. It s relative, not because of relatives. Also expectedly, what the poll workers deem applicable may not be to the watchers, especially if it doesn t count in their favor. Still expectedly, when the watcher accounts to the candidates, the report is muddled and so they claim defrauded. More expectedly, they either file a tedious protest in court or in the judgmental bar of public opinion.
Had the machines counted the votes, there would have been no exercise of human discretion. But it doesn t end the story. Expectedly, many other issues will be invented. Not the machine, but accusations of electronic rigging that until now has not been proven. See, nothing assuages the suspicious. Pretty much like a jealous spouse never assured by reason. Of course, the issue is emotion. Or better yet, imagination. But why they still run under an electoral system they do not trust is like marrying someone they cannot leave alone for fear of betrayal. Sleeping with the enemy.
Exactly why automation is the way, but neither truth in advertising nor life after death. If failure to deliver campaign promises disqualifies, no one may be left, even if they insist they are right. Whether elections better quality of life, let s leave it to the people, especially the poorest among the poor.
But almost always, they blame the poll workers, majority of whom are public school teachers. Again, how they allegedly favor one candidate over another is not specified but broadly speculated by who else, the watchers and rabid supporters, majority of whom don t even know what to watch out for inside the polling room. Some of them are just ready to rumble, exactly why they mumble when presented with a legal question as regards ballot appreciation.
These public school teachers stayed awake for about 48 hours straight to perform election duties, yet they are harassed, intimidated, and vilified. These are the most patient mentors in molding the children, only to realize adults need scolding. These are optional poll workers who served as a matter of duty for country and democracy, yet are underpaid and taxed for a taxing task. If people don t appreciate that sacrifice, we would never know what is heroism.