Mine has been bypassed since before I bought the car in 2015. You can bypass it, but WATCH IT because if that divider is not up and some object moves into the path of the top, you can destroy an $800 top easily.
One way to verify if it is the divider or top open switch that ZERACER mentioned is to put the top down manually and THEN press the UP button. A top that goes UP but not DOWN is due to either a bad divider switch or a bad top open switch, those switches are not checked before the top goes UP, only before it goes DOWN.

Easiest troubleshooting technique there is.