A Precinct Count Optical Scan machine to be used in the May 10 polls. Photo courtesy of ibanangayon.ph

Just how many countries have automated their elections and modernized the exercise of the right to vote?

Barring a failure by the Commission on Elections to implement the automated election system, the Philippines will join a growing list of countries whose citizens enjoy electronic voting.

Here is a e-voting.cc’s world map of electronic voting:

e-voting Map 2010

You can also download the map here.

Online voting, voting via SMS

Elsewhere, the Canadian province of Alberta is now contemplating further steps in modernizing the elections in their part of the world. They want to implement online voting or casting votes via the internet.

Australia meanwhile are mulling the use of text messaging as the modern ballot.

But Australia is actually half a decade behind the idea. Switzerland started using text messaging in local elections way back in 2005.