A recent announcement from Michigan's election authorities has highlighted a critical issue with accessible voting machines used by disabled voters.

A programming flaw in Dominion ICX Voter Assist Terminals (VATs) compromises the 'straight party' and 'split ticket' voting options, Just The News reported.

The Michigan Bureau of Elections detected a programming anomaly in Dominion ICX VATs, which are crucial for helping voters with disabilities mark their ballots independently.

Last Friday, the Michigan Secretary of State's office publicly disclosed the issue. This anomaly directly impacts how votes are cast and recorded, especially for those choosing 'straight party' voting.

Once voters use the VAT to mark their ballots, they must print them out for tabulation. This is where the identified issue becomes apparent.

Complex Choices Constrained by Software Flaw

The problem arises when voters attempt to vote 'straight party' but then wish to change their votes for individual races. This type of voting is usually permissible, allowing voters the flexibility to customize their ballot as needed.

However, due to the programming error, if a voter tries to modify their straight party selection by choosing different candidates in specific races, the machine will present an error message.

This forces the voter to either stick to a full straight party vote or deselect it entirely to manually select candidates for each contest.

Statewide Issue Requires Immediate Attention

The secretary of state’s office has issued guidance: "Because of this programming issue, voters using Dominion ICX VATs will have to select either the 'straight party' option if they wish to vote straight ticket or vote for each race on the partisan selection of the ballot if they wish to split their ticket."

This error affects all jurisdictions nationwide that use these specific Dominion-accessible voting machines, not just Michigan.

"I think all of us who used Dominion machines were unhappy to learn about this during the testing period and as early voting began," Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson remarked, reflecting widespread frustration and a scramble to address the issue.

Ensuring Voter Awareness and Accountability

The inability to rectify the programming flaw before the upcoming election has led to a proactive response from election officials. They are focusing on making voters aware of the need to carefully review their ballot selections.

"If a voter using the Dominion VAT votes straight party but then splits their ticket, the voter will receive an error message. The voter will need to go back and de-select their straight-party selection and vote for candidates in the races individually or vote straight party without splitting their ticket," explained officials from the secretary of state's office.

Officials are now directing efforts toward holding Dominion responsible for the glitch and ensuring that all affected voters understand how to use their voting machines correctly to avoid potential errors on election day.

Collaborative Efforts to Mitigate Voting Issues

As the election nears, Michigan's election officials and Dominion are working together to seek accountability and remedy the situation as much as possible within the available time frame.

Secretary Benson's office and local clerks are dedicated to informing all voters, especially those with disabilities who rely on these machines, about the malfunction.

"We’re working with Dominion to seek accountability on that front, and also are working with our clerks to ensure voters are aware of this programming issue that will require them to ensure they are voting every section on the ballot," Benson added, emphasizing the commitment to transparency and voter support.