2026 Michigan Secretary of State election
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The 2026 Michigan Secretary of State election is scheduled to take place on November 3, 2026, to elect the secretary of state of Michigan. Incumbent Democratic secretary of state Jocelyn Benson is term-limited and ineligible to seek a third term, and is running for governor of Michigan. The major-party nominees were decided at state party conventions in August 2026. Democratic lieutenant governor Garlin Gilchrist and Republican Macomb County clerk Anthony Forlini are the nominees for their respective parties.
 | |||||||||||
November 3, 2026
| |||||||||||
| |||||||||||
| |||||||||||
Democratic convention
Candidates
Nominee
- Garlin Gilchrist, lieutenant governor of Michigan (2019–present) (previously ran for governor)[1][2]
Eliminated at convention
- Suzanna Shkreli, former Michigan Lottery commissioner (2024–2025) and nominee for Michigan's 8th congressional district in 2016[3]
Withdrawn
- Barbara Byrum, Ingham County clerk (2013–present) and former state representative from the 67th district (2007–2012)[4][5]
- Aghogho Edevbie, deputy secretary of state (2023–present) (endorsed Gilchrist)[6]
- Adam Hollier, former state senator from the 2nd district (2018–2022) and candidate for Michigan's 13th congressional district in 2022 and 2024 (ran for state senate)[7]
Declined
- Jeremy Moss, president pro tempore of the Michigan Senate (2023–present) from the 7th district (2019–present)[8] (running for U.S. House)[9]
Endorsements
Garlin Gilchrist
- U.S. representatives
- Rashida Tlaib, MI-12 (2019–present)[10]
- State legislators
- Brenda Carter, HD-53 (2019–present)[11]
- Kimberly Edwards, HD-12 (2023–present)[11]
- Morgan Foreman, HD-33 (2025–present)[11]
- Donavan McKinney, HD-11 (2023–present)[11]
- Local officials
- Abdullah Hammoud, mayor of Dearborn (2022–present)[10]
- Party chapters
- 12th Congressional District Democratic Party[12]
- 13th Congressional District Democratic Party[11]
- Labor unions
- American Federation of Teachers Michigan[13]
- Laborers' International Union of North America Michigan[14]
- Michigan AFL-CIO[15]
- Michigan Education Association[16]
- Michigan Nurses Association[12]
- Northwest Midwest Regional Council of Carpenters[14]
- UNITE HERE Local 24[10]
- United Auto Workers[17]
- Organizations
- End Citizens United[18] (previously endorsed Edevbie)[19]
- Equality Michigan[20]
- Reproductive Freedom for All[21]
- Wayne State College Democrats[12]
- Political parties
- Newspapers
Barbara Byrum (withdrawn)
- U.S. representatives
- James Barcia, former MI-5 (1993–2003) and Bay County Executive (2017–present)[23]
- Mark Schauer, former MI-7 (2009–2011) and nominee for governor in 2014[23]
- Joe Schwarz, former MI-7 (2005–2007) (Independent; elected as a Republican) (Deceased)[23]
- State legislators
- Dianne Byrum, former minority leader of the Michigan House of Representatives from HD-67 (2003–2006) (candidate's mother)[24]
- Kara Hope, HD-74 (2019–present)[24]
- Jeff Irwin, SD-15 (2019–present)[24]
- Tullio Liberati Jr., HD-2 (2021–present)[25]
- Laurie Pohutsky, HD-17 (2019–present)[24]
- Will Snyder, HD-87 (2023–present)[24]
- Penelope Tsernoglou, HD-75 (2023–present)[24]
- 12 other former state representatives[24][25]
- Local officials
- Richard LeBlanc, Westland city clerk (2016–present)[26]
- Mary Waters, at-large Detroit city councilor (2022–present)[27]
- 12 county clerks[26]
- Party officials
- Lavora Barnes, former chair of the Michigan Democratic Party (2019–2025)[28]
- Mark Brewer, former chair of the Michigan Democratic Party (1995–2013)[28]
- Lon Johnson, former chair of the Michigan Democratic Party (2013–2015)[28]
- Labor unions
- International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Michigan[29]
- United Association Locals 85, 333, 370, 636, and 671[30][23][10]
- United Food and Commercial Workers Local 951[31]
Aghogho Edevbie (withdrawn)
- State legislators
- Jimmie Wilson Jr., HD-32 (2023–present)[32]
- Stephanie Young, HD-16 (2021–present)[32]
- Labor unions
- International Brotherhood of Teamsters Locals 243, 247, 406, and 1038[33][34]
- Organizations
End Citizens United[19] (endorsed Gilchrist after withdrawal)[18]
Adam Hollier (withdrawn)
- State legislators
- Peter Herzberg, HD-25 (2024–present)[35]
- Joe Tate, former speaker of the Michigan House of Representatives (2023–2025) from HD-9 (2019–present)[35]
- Local officials
- David Coulter, Oakland County Executive (2019–present)[35]
Declined to endorse
- Statewide officials
- Gretchen Whitmer, governor of Michigan (2019–present)[36]
Fundraising
Italics indicate a withdrawn candidate.
| Campaign finance reports as of August 13, 2026 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Raised | Spent | Cash on hand |
| Barbara Byrum (D) | $338,912 | $338,912 | $0 |
| Aghogho Edevbie (D) | $331,662 | $330,507 | $1,155 |
| Garlin Gilchrist (D) | $1,763,060 | $727,600 | $1,035,459 |
| Adam Hollier (D) | $458,741[a] | $458,741 | $0 |
| Suzanna Shkreli (D) | $302,498 | $225 | $302,273 |
| Source: Michigan Secretary of State[5] | |||
Republican convention
Candidates
Nominee
- Anthony Forlini, Macomb County clerk (2020–present)[37][38]
Eliminated at convention
- Amanda Love, Clarkston Community Schools trustee[3]
- Monica Yatooma, strategic partnerships director[39]
- Timothy Smith[39]
Withdrawn
- Articia Bomer (endorsed Forlini)[40]
Endorsements
Anthony Forlini
- Statewide officials
- Candice Miller, Macomb County Public Works Commissioner (2017–present), former Michigan Secretary of State (1995–2003), and former U.S. representative for Michigan's 10th congressional district (2003–2016)[37]
- State legislators
- Bruce Rendon, HD-103 (2011–2016)[41]
- Organizations
- Michigan Fraternal Order of Police[42]
- Political parties
Fundraising
| Campaign finance reports as of August 6, 2026 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Raised | Spent | Cash on hand |
| Anthony Forlini (R) | $494,975 | $198,372 | $296,603 |
| Amanda Love (R) | $138,606[b] | $138,606 | $0 |
| Timothy Smith (R) | $23.70 | $0 | $23.70 |
| Monica Yatooma (R) | $151,455 | $76,781 | $74,674 |
| Source: Michigan Secretary of State[5] | |||
Third-party candidates
General election
Predictions
| Source | Ranking | As of |
|---|---|---|
| Sabato's Crystal Ball[45] | Tossup | August 7, 2025 |