Although the May 10, 2010 polls will be fully automated, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said Thursday that the fingernails of voters will still be stained with indelible ink when they cast their votes to make sure every voter will vote only once as required by law.

The Comelec, led by Chairman Jose A.R. Melo, said that in past elections, the practice of staining the voter’s fingernails prevented to a great extent the sinister practice of unscrupulous politicians to make their followers vote twice or several times on enhance their victory.

Melo said before giving the ballot to the voter, the chairman of the Board of Election Inspectors (BEI) is required to check if any of the fingernails of the voter has already been stained with indelible ink.

“If stained, it shall be a conclusive presumption that he has cast his vote. As such the voter shall be directed to leave the polling place after informing him the reason thereof,” Melo said.

This fact, including the name and the precinct of the voter, shall be recorded by the Poll Clerk in the Minutes of the BEI, it was pointed out. (E. T. Suarez)