On Tuesday, Detroit voters who are blind or have other disabilities celebrated a rare victory: voter assist terminals (VATs) worked reliably at multiple polling locations, allowing them to vote independently and privately. Sabrina Rice, blind for about 15 years, finally fed her ballot into a working machine at Unity Baptist Church and expressed tears of joy at being able to vote on her own.
Improved Experience at Multiple Sites
Richard Clay, president of Detroit Advocates of the Blind, reported a “very good voting experience” at Edison Elementary School. After the August primary, when VATs repeatedly froze and required poll workers to assist, Clay said the machines functioned smoothly on Election Day. He noted that over the past five years the VAT has operated correctly about 40% of the time at his precinct, and he praised the recent improvements.
Other voters echoed the sentiment. Marguerite Maddox, who uses a walker and a service dog, voted at the Walker Williams Rec Center with the help of her friend Kaci Pellar. She said the process was smooth and gave the VAT a “B” rating, noting that it now takes her 30 to 40 minutes to complete a ballot, compared with up to three hours in earlier elections.
Remaining Concerns and Ongoing Challenges
Despite the successes, many voters remain cautious. Darryl Rice, also blind, warned that the uncertainty of future elections lingers, asking, “When it’s time to vote again, will the machine work?” A 2025 audit of 415 polling locations across seven counties by Detroit Disability Power found that only 36% of sites had fully functional VATs, down from 62% the previous year, indicating a troubling decline in overall accessibility.
Dessa Cosma, executive director of Detroit Disability Power, explained that many accessibility problems stem from simple, low‑cost fixes such as proper signage, ensuring wheelchair‑height voting booths are set up correctly, and making sure VATs are turned on and staff are trained. She added that more extensive capital improvements—ramps, elevators, automatic doors—may require state legislative action.
City Election Office Response
The Detroit Department of Elections confirmed that VATs are installed at all 158 polling locations, with additional machines in reserve. The department said complaints about VATs are infrequent, but when they arise, a specialist trained to operate the equipment is dispatched to the site.
Stephen Handschu, an artist and representative of Detroit Advocates of the Blind, also voted successfully at Central United Methodist Church. He emphasized the importance of the secret ballot, stating, “No one should take for granted the right to vote secretly, and those are important rights of citizenship.” Handschu, who had previously voted absentee due to malfunctioning equipment, spent nearly two hours at the polling place but was pleased the system finally worked.
Looking Ahead
Advocates hope the positive experiences on Election Day will spur further improvements. Clay expressed optimism, saying, “It feels very, very good to see that the hard work we’ve been putting in has paid off and that this VAT machine, which was not working just a couple of months ago, is now working today.” Community members continue to call on city officials to address both the low‑cost fixes and the larger infrastructure upgrades needed to ensure every Detroit voter can cast a secret ballot without delay.
Original reporting: BridgeDetroit — read the source article.
