LANSING, Mich. — A dispute between Michigan’s Secretary of State and Republican lawmakers intensified this week after Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson again refused to comply with a legislative subpoena demanding access to election training materials, citing election security concerns.
In a letter dated May 7 and sent to the House Oversight Committee by the Michigan Department of Attorney General on Benson’s behalf, the Secretary of State argued that the requested documents contain sensitive information that could jeopardize the integrity of Michigan’s elections if disclosed. The letter stated that the materials include details that could potentially be used to tamper with ballots, breach election equipment, or impersonate election officials.
“Releasing material that would reveal security feature information or other sensitive information jeopardizes the process,” the letter read. “This is true even if those seeking the information are well-intentioned, because each time sensitive information is released, its potential for intentional or accidental disclosure to those who would misuse it increases.”
The response comes amid growing pressure from the Republican-led House Oversight Committee, which has been seeking access to the documents for over five months. State Rep. Jay DeBoyer (R-Clay Township), who chairs the committee, accused the Secretary of State of stonewalling lawmakers and failing to offer a valid reason for withholding materials that he claims are routinely made available to local election officials across the state.
“The department has been unable to provide a compelling reason for why they are unwilling to give us, the people’s elected representatives, access to materials that are available to every single locally elected clerk in the state of Michigan and their respective staffs,” DeBoyer said.
The letter from Attorney General Dana Nessel also argued that the subpoenas issued by the House committee violate state law and the internal rules of the Michigan House of Representatives. Furthermore, it claimed the subpoenas lack a legitimate legislative purpose.
Despite her refusal to release the training materials in question, Benson’s office says it has already turned over more than 3,000 pages of documents to the committee, excluding only those that contain information deemed too sensitive for public release.
Benson, a Democrat, emphasized her commitment to transparency in election administration, pointing to extensive information available to the public through the Michigan Department of State’s election website. However, she maintained that transparency must be balanced against the need to protect the security and integrity of the election process.
The clash underscores a broader national debate over access to election information and the responsibilities of election officials to safeguard democratic institutions in an era of increasing political polarization and concerns about election interference.
It remains to be seen whether the Oversight Committee will escalate its efforts to enforce the subpoenas or pursue legal remedies, setting up what could become a prolonged legal and political battle over access to Michigan’s election systems.
