Macomb County Clerk Anthony Forlini and Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist Will Face Off for Control of Michigan's Top Election Office
LANSING — Michigan Republicans and Democrats have selected their nominees for secretary of state, setting up what is expected to be a competitive November 2026 race for control of the state's most important election administration position.
Anthony Forlini, the current Macomb County clerk, won the Republican nomination with 55 percent of the vote on the first ballot at the Michigan Republican Party convention in Novi on March 28. Garlin Gilchrist, the current lieutenant governor, defeated two other Democratic candidates at the party convention in Detroit on April 20, winning on the first ballot as well.
The winner of the November general election will succeed Democratic Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, who is term-limited and running for governor. Forlini would be the state's first Republican to hold the office since Ruth Johnson served from 2011 to 2019. Gilchrist would be only the second Black secretary of state in Michigan's history, following Richard H. Austin from 1971 to 1995.
Forlini is a Macomb County clerk who has held the position since 2020 after winning a second term in 2024. As part of that job, he oversees elections in Michigan's third-most-populous county and maintains vital records including marriage licenses, birth certificates and death certificates.
"I think it's what Michiganders are looking for," Forlini said of his campaign message. "People in Macomb County, a purple county, are looking for people to work hard and do their job. The politics is not important. It's important we do what we say we're going to do."
Gilchrist, a software engineer before entering politics, has served as lieutenant governor since 2019 when he was sworn in as Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's second-in-command. A graduate of the University of Michigan, Gilchrist has a background in software engineering that he says would help him be an effective secretary of state. He worked for Microsoft and political advocacy groups before returning to Michigan to work for the City of Detroit as a developer.
"As secretary of state, he will protect the right to vote, defend the will of the people, and ensure Michigan's elections remain secure, fair, and free from political interference," State Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks said at the convention.
Election Security and Voter Rolls Remain Central Issues
Election security has emerged as a major focus for both campaigns. Forlini regularly touts that as Macomb County clerk, he conducted a forensic audit of the 2020 election in his county which turned up no outside interference. He also introduced watermarked paper for ballots and hash validations on tabulators which are algorithmic tools that help election officials verify software was not tampered with after certification.
Ahead of the 2024 election, Forlini trained poll workers at the county level, which is unusual in Michigan where each municipality runs its own elections. As secretary of state, he has promised to clean up the voter rolls and provide additional training for election workers.
Forlini has also teamed up with Americans for Citizens Voting, a group attempting to put a question on the November ballot about whether Michiganders should need to prove their citizenship to register to vote. When the group announced it had enough signatures to potentially make the ballot, Forlini called it "phenomenal" in a campaign email.
Forlini has also attempted to root out noncitizens on the voter roll in Macomb County using the list of people who claimed to be noncitizens to get out of jury duty. His investigation identified 15 potential noncitizens, but the Michigan Department of State later found the number was smaller and that a number of people Forlini flagged were actually citizens.
Gilchrist has promised to fight Trump's executive orders on voting including protecting Michigan voters' right to vote by mail. He has also promised to advocate for legislation to improve campaign finance regulations and ensure voters know their ballots are secure.
On his campaign website, Gilchrist has promised to modernize licensing and registration for cars and hold accountable companies that rip you off when you get your car fixed.
Forlini's Perfect Attendance Record Is a Campaign Highlight
One of Forlini's key campaign points is his perfect attendance record in the Michigan House of Representatives. While serving in the state legislature from 2011 to 2016, he never missed a vote.
"I had a job to do, and there was no way I was gonna break my perfect record," Forlini said. "I get home, get in my car, drive to Lansing just to find out that they cancel session because of the weather."
Forlini currently works as clerk in Macomb County where he has reduced wait times from an hour down to less than four minutes. Most people leave the service desk with what they need in less than 10 minutes.
"We've lost that ability to be curious, to have a conversation, to be curious about what the other side thinks," Forlini said. "When you treat people with respect, you tend to get respect back."
Gilchrist Questions Forlini's Senate Attendance
Forlini has questioned Gilchrist's attendance record in his role as president of the state senate.
"I am concerned with what I had read in the Detroit News recently, that Mr. Gilchrist showed up for work in his current role only 6 percent of the time," Forlini said in a news release. "That is not what the hardworking people of Michigan expect."
Gilchrist returned the favor after his nomination was announced, saying in a statement that while he respected Forlini as a person, "I am concerned with what I had read in the Detroit News recently, that Mr. Gilchrist showed up for work in his current role only 6 percent of the time."
Both Campaigns Emphasize Their Local Experience
Forlini's campaign manager Scott Greenlee emphasized that Forlini is "a normal guy" who is a family man and business owner that got coaxed into politics. Greenlee said Forlini beat incumbent Democrats in every race against them.
Gilchrist has emphasized that his software engineering background would make him more effective in modernizing election administration. He said the first thing he expected to do if he wins is to prepare for the election administration challenges that will inevitably come from the Trump administration during Michigan's 2027 and 2028 elections.
"We need to make sure we start getting prepared for the election administration challenges that will inevitably come from the Trump administration during our 2027 and 2028 elections in Michigan," Gilchrist said. "We need to make sure we get to work preparing the rule-making process for the next independent citizens redistricting commission."
The Stakes Are High
The secretary of state oversees issuing IDs, registering vehicles, and will oversee the 2028 presidential election in Michigan. Whoever wins will be Michigan's next top election official and will set the tone for election administration in the state for years to come.
Macomb County Republican Sen. Jim Runestad, the chair of the Michigan GOP, said that Forlini and Doug Lloyd, who was nominated for attorney general, are both "highly qualified" candidates.
"Forlini has done a wonderful job as Macomb clerk," Runestad said. "He has a track record of defeating incumbent Democrats in past elections. We couldn't have gotten a better candidate for secretary of state."
Gilchrist faces scrutiny for comments he made during his governor bid. He was criticized for saying during a speech at the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee's national convention that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government "is committing a genocide on the Palestinian people." He later apologized but clarified that while he was not retracting his beliefs, he regretted that some had perceived the comments as anti-Semitic.
Both campaigns emphasize their commitment to protecting Michigan's elections from federal interference while modernizing election administration and serving Michiganders who rely on the secretary of state's office for daily services.
The November general election will determine who will serve as Michigan's top election official for the next six years and set the direction for election administration during the crucial 2028 presidential election.