Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson and Attorney General Dana Nessel are responding to letters from the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division requesting election-related documents from three Michigan municipalities ahead of the August 2026 primary election.
The DOJ sent letters to Detroit, East Lansing, and Lansing during the final week of June, requesting various election records and notifying the cities that federal election monitors would be deployed to polling locations during the August primary.
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Benson and Nessel criticized the federal requests, saying they were based on unsupported allegations about Michigan’s 2024 general election.
“The courts have been clear time and time again: states run elections, not the federal government,” Nessel said in a statement.
Nessel said Michigan law provides multiple ways for residents to participate in elections, including voting access options, observing election procedures and serving as poll workers or election inspectors.
“We encourage everyone to participate and see for themselves how secure and fair our elections are, but make no mistake, my office stands ready to hold accountable those who attempt to unlawfully interfere with or intimidate Michigan election workers,” Nessel said.
The DOJ letters cited concerns, including allegations of long lines, a lack of provisional ballots, and issues with voter-accessible terminals during the 2024 election.
Michigan officials disputed those claims.
“Michigan’s elections are transparent, accurate, accessible, and secure,” Benson said. “And while the U.S. Department of Justice continues to pursue baseless allegations to confuse voters about those facts, we welcome anyone who wants to, in compliance with the law, observe Michigan’s election process.”
Benson said election observers who follow state and local laws will see that Michigan clerks are committed to maintaining secure and accessible elections.
“Voters can trust that their vote is secure, and that clerks will count it according to the law,” Benson said.
According to state officials, federal election monitors are allowed to observe election processes but do not have authority to interfere with election administration or demand unrestricted access to voting equipment or election materials.
Officials said federal observers must follow all applicable state and local election laws.
City officials from Detroit, East Lansing, and Lansing are expected to respond to the DOJ independently.
“Donald Trump and his DOJ have shown they will do anything to try to intimidate Michigan voters and interfere in our elections.
They lied about election fraud. They’re coming after our voter rolls. They’re using coercion to try to end vote by mail. And now they want to ‘monitor’ our polling places. It is all part of the same playbook.
Michigan voters should be able to cast their ballots freely, safely and without federal agents looking over their shoulders.
As Secretary of State, I will Stand TALL against any attempt to turn Michigan polling places into political battlegrounds.”
Lt. Governor and Democratic nominee for Secretary of State Garlin Gilchrist