LANSING, Mich. — With Election Day approaching, Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson is urging voters who use Dominion ICX Voter Assist Terminals (VAT) to be aware of potential programming issues that could impact split-ticket voting, casting a shadow over election reliability and trust. The VAT, primarily used by voters with disabilities to help mark their ballots, has a programming flaw that affects how split-ticket votes are processed, sparking fresh questions about the integrity of the technology.
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The issue affects voters who typically rely on Michigan’s option to vote a straight ticket but override specific races. Dominion VAT machines, however, are currently programmed in a way that limits this flexibility. Voters attempting to split their ticket after selecting a straight-party option will encounter an error message, forcing them to either choose a straight-ticket vote or individually select each race. This complication could disrupt the confidence of voters who expect a seamless voting experience.
“This isn’t just a Michigan issue—this is happening wherever Dominion voting assist terminals are used,” Benson explained. “And while this programming flaw doesn’t impact all machines, only the accessible VATs, it’s a serious concern for election transparency and voter confidence nationwide.”
Election officials and voters alike have expressed frustration as this issue, identified during early voting and testing, cannot be resolved before Election Day. Benson emphasized that the Bureau of Elections is working with Dominion to hold them accountable and is ensuring that voters are informed of the programming limitations. However, the setback comes at a time when election technology reliability is under heightened scrutiny, and trust in the voting process is increasingly fragile.
“Any glitch like this only adds to the erosion of trust in our elections,” Benson said. “We’ve worked hard to increase transparency, and issues like these undercut the public’s faith in the system.”
The Michigan Bureau of Elections notes that while this issue will not prevent voters from making their preferred selections, it does add unnecessary complexity to the process, raising questions about how such problems might affect confidence in election results. Affected voters are advised to review their selections carefully before finalizing their ballot. A full list of Michigan counties using Dominion equipment is available at Michigan.gov/Vote.
As the state’s election officials work to mitigate the impact of this issue, voters are reminded of the importance of verifying their selections, especially those using VAT machines, and to report any concerns or irregularities to election staff.
