In an unprecedented and dangerous move, 22 Michigan Republican lawmakers have asked the U.S. Department of Justice under President Donald Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi to oversee Michigan’s 2026 elections. Their reason? Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson is running for governor while continuing to fulfill her legal duties to oversee elections—just like many Republicans and Democrats before her.

This isn’t about election integrity. It’s about political interference.

Michigan elections are already among the most secure and transparent in the nation. Over 1,600 local clerks—Republicans, Democrats, and independents—run our elections, not one single state official. Every vote is verified by bipartisan boards of canvassers, observed by monitors from both parties, and protected by long-established law and local control.

The request to send in federal monitors—especially under a politically motivated DOJ—doesn’t protect democracy. It undermines it. It risks normalizing federal control over local elections and opens the door to intimidation, manipulation, and the silencing of Michigan voters.

Worse, this request is based on the same recycled misinformation and partisan conspiracies that fueled attacks on the 2020 election results. Secretary Benson, like her Republican predecessors, has run for office while overseeing elections. No one raised objections then. The double standard is clear.

We, the people of Michigan, will not allow our elections to become the next political battleground. We demand free and fair elections—without politically motivated federal intervention. Let our clerks do their jobs. Let our votes count without interference.

Tell Senate Minority Leader Aric Nesbitt and the 21 lawmakers who signed this letter: Enough. Stop inviting federal agents into our elections. Start respecting the voters you were elected to serve.

Add your name to defend Michigan’s democracy from partisan overreach.