LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) — Break up-ticket voters utilizing a Dominion ICX Voter Help Terminal (VAT) on Election Day must be ready for straight-ticket/split-ticket programming points when marking their poll, in accordance with Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson.
A VAT is a particular kind of machine that folks with disabilities could use to help with marking their poll, which is then printed from the machine and put by means of the tabulator—however the machine has points with correctly processing sure varieties of ballots.
Benson stresses that it is a nationwide concern and isn’t solely affecting Michigan.
“Yeah, this is a nationwide issue with Dominion voter access terminals in, in the counties that use them in the voter access terminals,” says Benson. “Of course, not all the machines, just the ones that are accessible, have an issue. With the straight-party voting and a programming issue, that’s again affected the machines nationwide.”
Voters utilizing a VAT this Election Day should both vote straight-ticket or manually break up their poll—not like how Michigan voters often have the choice to pick out the straight occasion possibility after which override their occasion choice for sure races.
Benson additionally says this concern has annoyed officers in locations the place these machines are used.
“I think all of us who used Dominion machines were unhappy to learn about this during the testing period and as early voting began, so 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,” says Benson.
If a VAT person votes straight occasion after which splits their ticket, they are going to obtain an error message—however may have the possibility to repair it and nonetheless solid a poll. Whereas this doesn’t change who or what a voter would solid their poll for, it is going to make the method extra inconvenient for VAT customers who vote split-ticket.
The Division of State says the difficulty can’t be mounted in time for Election Day subsequent week—however can be corrected for future elections—and solely impacts VATS in sure counties. Test right here to see which sort of VAT your county makes use of.
