5 Thesis Topics on Ballot Smudging and Voting Technology

Source: GMA News Online

Let me convince you to make this a thesis.

In the last Philippine elections, more than 270 incidents of ballot rejection were recorded. Wet ink. Smudged ovals. Dirty scanners. Machine stoppages. Hundreds of votes put at risk. Hundreds of citizens thinking they had done their part, only to have the system fail them. The Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) saw the mess and raised the alarm. Their solution? A simple stamping pen. But why are we only talking about this after the damage is done?

What’s really wrong is the failure of election technology and process design. It’s not just about ink or paper. It’s about trust in a system that decides the future of a nation. The Commission on Elections (Comelec) changed marker types and paper thickness without truly testing their impact. Now votes get smudged by slow-drying water-based markers, fingerprints leave stains, and machines choke on dirty ballots. This is not just a technical issue. It’s a threat to democracy. It’s the kind of problem that demands real, evidence-based research.

Who Can Use These Topics

This research is ideal for students and professionals pursuing the following courses or strands:

College Programs:

• Political Science

• Public Administration

• Information Technology

• Industrial Engineering

• Communication Studies

Senior High School Strands:

• HUMSS

• GAS

• STEM

5 Thesis Topic Ideas

1.Impact of Marker Type on Ballot Smudging and Vote Rejection in Automated Elections

This research explores how different writing tools affect ballot cleanliness, scanner performance, and vote validity.

Target Respondents

• Election officials

• PPCRV volunteers

• Voters

2.Effect of Ballot Paper Thickness on Durability and Smudge Resistance in Philippine Elections

This study investigates whether thicker paper reduces ballot damage and improves machine reading accuracy.

Target Respondents

• Comelec staff

• Printing suppliers

• Voters

3.Relationship Between Voter Handling Behavior and Ballot Smudging in Automated Voting Systems

This research examines how human factors like fingerprints, handling time, and voting habits affect ballot quality.

Target Respondents

• Voters

• Poll watchers

• Election inspectors

4.Influence of Shading Threshold Policies on Vote Accuracy and Voter Confidence

This study looks into how changes in shading requirements affect vote counting accuracy and public trust.

Target Respondents

• Voters

• Election lawyers

• Election technology experts

5.Evaluation of Stamping Pens as an Alternative to Markers in Automated Elections

This research tests if stamping pens can minimize ballot smudging and reduce scanner errors during elections.

Target Respondents

• Election technology vendors

• PPCRV volunteers

• Comelec officials

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