LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – With elections on Tuesday, Nov. 4, in 72 Michigan counties, Democratic Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson is once again asking voters to report sketchy election claims so the state can swat them down in real time.
In a recent press release, Benson asks voters to report election misinformation and voter intimidation. Benson says, “Efforts to confuse voters – about the election process and their rights – are designed to sow mistrust in our election process and undermine our democracy. Fighting back against them is critical to ensuring our elections are a secure and accurate reflection of the will of the people.”
MORE NEWS: Alleged ISIS Plot: Scouting Gay Bars, Guns, 1,600 Bullets, and Hopes for Hundreds of Deaths
Benson’s press release doesn’t specify what she means by “misinformation,” but her Elections Fact Center website lays out a familiar list: only U.S. citizens can vote, each voter can cast just one ballot, and ballots from deceased voters aren’t counted – among other assurances.
Benson has also accused of Elon Musk of spreading misinformation, alleged that Republicans and foreign actors are spreading it, and has said that AI has become a big threat to election security. She has also pointed to allegations about “partisans, grifters and other opportunists” in America trying to create chaos and doubt by “hacking the minds of American citizens.”
Michigan’s top election official wants your screenshots.
Benson says in her press release that Michiganders should only rely on “trusted official sources” – namely her Department of State, local clerks, and her official website as mentioned above – assuring voters that Michigan’s elections are “secure, accurate, and fair.”
Benson tells voters that before, during, or on Election Day, if a Michigan voter encounters “election- related information that may be misleading or incorrect,” she wants them to report it by emailing details and a photo of the misinformation to her office. Additionally, any voter intimidation, harassment or coercion should also be reported.
Benson faces backlash for blocking DOJ access to all voter data.
But while Benson urges voters to flag misleading information, she’s facing criticism herself for resisting federal oversight of Michigan’s voter system. Benson, who’s campaigning to become Michigan’s next governor, has been doubling down on what many see as her opposition to stronger voter integrity measures.
That includes ignoring a letter from the U.S. Department of Justice to give them certain requested information from Michigan’s Qualified Voter File – calling it a federal power grab and “unlawful.” Meanwhile, the Trump administration says the review is aimed at ensuring the state’s voter rolls are clean and free of ineligible voters including non-citizens.
MORE NEWS: FBI: ‘Anti-Mormon’ Beliefs Triggered Massacre at Grand Blanc Church
So while Benson says she’s fighting “misinformation,” critics say she’s just trying to control the message.
