ANN ARBOR, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – Michigan’s secretary of state candidates faced off Thursday evening at the University of Michigan, offering voters two very different résumés: one built around software engineering and statewide politics, the other around actually running elections.
Democratic Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist II and Republican Macomb County Clerk Anthony Forlini traded accusations over election integrity, government efficiency and political credibility.
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Gilchrist also made sure President Donald Trump and January 6 got plenty of airtime, taking aim at Forlini for hiring a woman who attended the January 6 protests to help recruit election workers and develop training materials in Macomb County.
Gilchrist didn’t mention her by name, but he was referring to Genevieve Peters, who was hired in 2022. At the debate, Gilchrist called January 6 the “ultimate election denial,” accusing protesters of trying to overthrow the government, attack the Capitol and kill police officers to prevent certification of the election. Gilchrist referenced the January 6 Capitol riot, but no police officers were killed that day.
Gilchrist Wants to Put Your License on Your Phone
When Gilchrist wasn’t talking about Trump and January 6, he was pitching his vision for modernizing the Secretary of State’s office, including putting driver’s licenses on smartphones. Gilchrist wants Michigan to introduce digital driver’s licenses, allowing residents to access identification on their smartphones. His inspiration? He once left his wallet at a church in Benton Harbor but still had his phone. Gilchrist also proposed expanding mobile secretary of state services, online transactions and self-service kiosks.
Forlini focused on reducing wait times, accepting walk-ins and eliminating extra kiosk fees. He pointed to improvements in his Macomb County office, where he said customers are generally served in under 10 minutes. He also promised to restore trust, transparency and accountability in Michigan’s elections.
Trump, January 6 and the Election Denier Label
Gilchrist repeatedly tried connecting Forlini to Trump and election denial. In doing so, he accused Forlini of attending a QAnon event and sharing voter information with the Trump administration. Forlini disputed the QAnon characterization, saying he attended an event opposing human trafficking. He also defended bringing people with different viewpoints into election administration.
Forlini emphasized his experience overseeing elections and improving security procedures, arguing that the office should be about competence rather than partisan politics.
Gilchrist’s Own Election Questions Come Back to Haunt Him
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And while Gilchrist was busy questioning Forlini’s commitment to election integrity, his own past statements about Michigan elections raised questions about whether he was applying the same standards to himself. Moderators confronted him about his unsuccessful 2017 Detroit city clerk campaign, when he raised concerns about election administration and questioned aspects of his loss.
Gilchrist distinguished those concerns from those who denied Trump’s 2020 defeat. Still, the exchange highlighted an awkward contrast: Questioning elections was acceptable when Gilchrist had concerns, but Forlini’s scrutiny drew accusations of election denial.
Forlini also took a swipe at Gilchrist’s software expertise, questioning why the lieutenant governor hadn’t helped fix a state computer problem that Forlini said was delaying tax refunds for tens of thousands of Michigan residents.
Election Integrity or Election Conspiracy?
Forlini defended his efforts to identify potential noncitizens on Macomb County voter rolls after flagging 15 people who had excused themselves from jury duty by saying they were not U.S. citizens. A state review found three were eligible citizens, four were apparent noncitizens still registered, and others had already been removed or remained under review. Only three had ever voted, including one noncitizen who last voted in 2018. Gilchrist argued that noncitizen voting is exceedingly rare and said the state’s priority should be expanding participation.
After the Debate
Both candidates criticized Michigan’s troubled campaign-finance disclosure website, but offered different approaches. Gilchrist touted his software-development background and proposed fixing the website while pushing for stricter disclosure laws and faster enforcement of campaign-finance violations. Forlini pointed to a $20,000 campaign-finance software system implemented in Macomb County, arguing that his experience showed he could deliver a functioning system without spending millions.
In a press release after the debate, Forlini said, “It was interesting to see how the Lt. Governor forgot he has been #2 in charge of Michigan for over 7.5 years. He talked about a number of things that should be done, but he clearly could have had an impact on these things while he has been Lt. Governor. Instead, he hasn’t taken his job seriously. He only made it to Senate session 6% of the time last year – a 94% absentee rate. It’s safe to assume he will not take the role of Secretary of State seriously either if elected because how you do anything is how you do everything.”
Gilchrist, who is 6’9” tall according to Yahoo News, said on X after the debate, “The choice is clear. The Secretary of State plays a critical role in protecting Michigan’s elections, personal data, and access to government. I am focused on standing TALL for Michiganders, protecting voters, and making government work for the people it represents.” In another X post, he reiterated, “Michigan elections belong to Michiganders. Not Donald Trump.”
The Bottom Line
Ultimately, voters face a choice between Gilchrist’s promises of technological modernization and Forlini’s record of hands-on election administration.
The November 3 election will determine who replaces term-limited Democratic Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson.
