Meet the major party candidates for Michigan Secretary of State
UPPER MICHIGAN. (WLUC) - In Michigan, candidates for some races, like Secretary of State, are decided through state party conventions rather than primary elections.
On March 28, Michigan’s Republican Party held its endorsement convention. There, the party put its support behind Macomb County Clerk Anthony Forlini for Secretary of State.
“Been known across the state for election integrity issues that we’ve done- things that we’ve done to clean up the rolls,” Forlini said. “Whether you’re a Democrat or Republican, if you’ve got good ideas, they come from both sides of the aisle, not just one side of the aisle. And I think that’s important for me to note that I am willing to work with everybody and anybody.”
Forlini is also a former legislator with six years in the state house. In his electoral history, Forlini touts his track record of defeating incumbent Democrats. He hopes that will serve him well as he prepares to go head-to-head with Michigan’s current Lt. Governor Garlin Gilchrist.
“Our campaign is focused on protecting Michiganders’ data and privacy from surveillance from the Trump administration and from abuses from the biggest tech companies in the country and in the world,” Gilchrist said. “And as a software developer, I uniquely know how to get that done, and it’s about delivering 21st century services to people in every county and every community and every corner of Michigan.”
Gilchrist secured his party’s nomination on April 19. While working in the Whitmer administration, Gilchrist has witnessed what he says have been significant areas of growth for the secretary of state’s office under Jocelyn Benson.
“More than 130 branch offices-we need to make sure they work well, are well resourced, so they can be responsive to the unique needs of people in the Upper Peninsula, and especially if you’re a rural community, you’ve already got to drive a long way to get services, we need to take care of you fully when you get there,” Gilchrist said.
Forlini too wants to see the continued modernization of those services.
“I happen to be in the third largest county in the state, but the same practices we have here in Macomb County work across the state,” Forlini said. “People want transparency. People want to know how their government works, and that their government works for them and that they can get in line and not have there be a line, right? Get serviced right away.”
While the two sides are in agreement there, the aim of a piece of legislation working through the federal government is one area where they do not see eye to eye.
“With the SAVE act, that is not law right now- what would you do as secretary of state just to be able to help people out with any uncertainty they may have about voting if they have any questions that that may bring on,” we asked both candidates.
“There really shouldn’t be any questions,” Forlini said. “Should you have an ID? I think it’s pretty obvious, we should all have an ID. We all have that ability to get an ID. Nobody is invited to go to a lot of things in your life without an ID. You can’t get on a plane, you can’t do a lot of things without an ID. Why should that be any different with voting?”
“I want people to know that my job as Secretary of State is to make sure that every single eligible Michigander is able to register to vote, is able to cast a vote and is able to have that vote counted in a way they can see and can trust,” Gilchrist said. “Those people who are trying to throw sand in those gears and make those processes not work, that’s because they are afraid.”
Voters have until the Nov. 3 general election to decide who will succeed Benson as Michigan’s 44th Secretary of State.
Watch Beyond the Ballot live at 8:00 ET on the TV6 Livestream or on demand for full-length interviews, including with each of the major party candidates in the Secretary of State race.
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