Every registered political party or coalition of political parties and every independent candidate is each entitled to two watchers, to serve alternately, in every polling place. However, the candidates for the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, Sangguniang Panglunsod, or Sangguniang Bayan who belong to the same slate or ticket are entitled to only one watcher.

Minimum Qualifications of Pollwatchers

Official watchers appointed to a polling place must be:

1. A qualified voter of the city or municipality;

2. Of good reputation and shall not have been convicted by final judgment of any election offense or of any other crime;

3. Must know how to read and write Pilipino, English, Spanish or any of the prevailing local dialects; and

4. Without relation within the fourth civil degree of consanguinity or affinity to the chairman or any member of the board of election inspectors in the polling place where he/ she seeks appointment as a watcher.

Appointment and Assignment of Pollwatchers

Note that aside from the minimum qualifications prescribed by law for a watcher, his or her familiarity with the voters in the precinct where he or she may be assigned is also important. While the law does not require a watcher to be a registered voter of the barangay where he or she may serve, it is crucial that he/ she is assigned to as barangay where he/ she is actually a resident for the following reasons:

1. The watcher can efficiently review the Certified Voters List and identity discrepancies in it such as the retention of names of deceased persons, voters who have long transferred residence and have already registered in other precincts, and those suffering from certain disqualifications.

2. The watcher’s familiarity with the residents of the barangay puts him or her in a better position to detect and challenge illegal voters who may offer to vote but are not registered there, using the name of another person, or suffering from certain disqualifications.

3. The watcher’s proximity to the polling place where he or she is assigned is important as he or she has to be at the polling place on election day before the Board on Election Inspectors (BEI) meets at 6:00A.M.

Rights and Duties of Watchers

The official watchers shall have the right:

1. To stay in the space reserved for them inside the polling place;

2. To witness and inform themselves of the proceedings of the board of election inspectors, including its proceedings during the registration of voters;

3. To take notes of what they may see or hear, to take photographs of the proceedings and any significant incident during the counting of votes, as well as of election returns, tally boards, and ballot boxes;

4. To file a protest against any irregularity or violation of law that they believe may have been committed by the Board of Election Inspectors or by of its members or by any other person or persons;

5. To obtain from the Board of Election Inspectors a certificate as to the filing of such protest and/ or of the resolution thereon;

6. To read the ballots after these have been read by the chairman, as well as the election returns after these have been completed and signed by the members of the board of Election inspectors, although watchers shall refrain from touching ballots and election returns, and are not to speak to any BEI member, or to any voter or among themselves in a manner that would distract the proceedings; and

7. To be furnished with a certificate of the number of votes in words and figures cast for each candidate, duly signed and thumbmarked by the chairman and all the members of the Board of Election Inspectors.

The following are the duties of watchers:

1. To deliver and present to the chairman of the board of Election Inspectors their appointment papers;

2. To affix their signatures and thumbmarks on the election returns for the precinct where they where assigned;

3. To refrain from speaking to any member of the board of Election Inspectors, or to any voter, or among themselves, in a manner that would distract the proceedings.