Insert Robot intro here
Agenda points and the space that it fills
So in reviewing agendas, the main point of putting agenda's in your deck is to make the count for points in your deck. Voting Machine Initiative counts for Three points, so if you put two initiatives in your deck, its the equivalent of putting 3, 3/2's in your deck.
A big driver for why you would do this is so that you have more space in your deck for cards that you actually need, like ice, Ash 2X3ZB9CY, or money cards.
Before the release of this card, the only in-faction 5/3 that existed was Project Wotan, which filled the space, but it essentially just gained you three credits once the runner's rig was up. So most people don't count it.
Other alternatives for the 5/3 space within HB include Global Food Initiative, Hades Fragment, Utopia Fragment, Eden Fragment, Executive Retreat, and Priority Requisition. The last two aren't really used much, not sure if people count them.
Score ease
Like all of the 5/3's its hard card to score. You have to dedicate an entire turn (install advance, advance), to setup the score. And then another entire turn to score the card. Granted, you're basically half-way to winning the game. But it did take you two entire turns and 5 entire credits.
Protection
It doesn't really protect itself. Which is ultimately why this card isn't used much. The Future Perfect, NAPD Contract, Global Food Initiative all protect themselves and don't give any benefit other than the points.
Power!!!
So in conjunction with Enhanced Login Protocol and a scored Voting Machine Initiative, the runner will only get two clicks turns to run a remote to steal an agenda. You don't want to just spend those counters/the current at any time though.
You want to do it when it matters.
When you've planted a card in your monster remote server, with an Ash 2X3ZB9CY and a ton of money. That way, 1. The runner can't really click through your bioroids. 2. Turing is a monster to break. 3. If they want that 3/2 they have to spend their entire turn getting in, trashing the Ash 2X3ZB9CY and getting in again
... and in the end, it could've just been a Jackson Howard sitting face down, but you make it SEEM like it was an agenda. And at that point you've made them waste significant resources to get through your monster server.
Or if the runner is just unprepared to spend their entire turn to get into the server (usually not because you'll be planning to score that other 3/2) Voting machine initiative basically lets you score that 3/2 no problem.
Summary
Personally I like the card. It fills that space that Project Wotan was supposed to fill but doesn't because Project Wotan just forces you to ... waste 3 credits for like two entire turns of effort and gives you three points. At least voting machine initiative helps open those scoring windows after its scored.
Flavor
Like most politics type things in the Mumbad cycle Voting machine initiative has the theme of wasting time. All the politics cards exist to just cost the runner clicks/time Bio-Ethics Association, Sensie Actors Union, Clone Suffrage Movement, or stall the corp. Like the The Black File, The Price of Freedom, Populist Rally. Things used to prolong the game for just one more turn.
Voting Machine initiative just adds to that by forcing the runner to run into their voting machines...
Which are apparently everywhere when you score it, and show up when it matters