Overview

The Secretary of State is Michigan’s chief election officer and oversees the administration of elections in the state. Mich. Comp. Laws Serv. § 168.21. The Secretary of State issues rules and guidance relating to elections, trains and directs local election officials, and prescribes forms and procedures for use in elections. Mich. Comp. Laws Serv. § 168.31(1). The Secretary of State also receives certified copies of the statements of votes from the Boards of County Canvassers and preserves these statements. Mich. Comp. Laws Serv. § 168.843.

In the Secretary of State’s office, there is a Bureau of Elections, which performs all duties related to the administration of election laws. Mich. Comp. Laws Serv. § 168.32(1). The Bureau of Elections is headed by a Director appointed by the Secretary of State. Mich. Comp. Laws Serv. § 168.32(1).

The Secretary of State is elected for a four-year term and is term-limited to two terms. MCLS Const. Art. V, §§ 21, 30; Mich. Comp. Laws Serv. § 168.76. The current Secretary of State is Jocelyn Benson, a Democrat, who took office on January 1, 2019, and is serving her second term. The next election for Secretary of State in Michigan will be held in 2026.

Election-Related Duties

The key duties of the Secretary of State are:

  1. Serving as the state’s chief election officer. Mich. Comp. Laws Serv. § 168.21.
  2. Issuing and promulgating rules for the conduct of elections in the state. Mich. Comp. Laws Serv. § 168.31(1)(a).
  3. Advising and directing local election officials on the conduct of elections. Mich. Comp. Laws Serv. § 168.31(1)(b).
  4. Publishing an instruction manual for local election officials to use in each election. Mich. Comp. Laws Serv. § 168.31(1)(c).
  5. Prescribing uniform forms, notices, and supplies for use in election. Mich. Comp. Laws Serv. § 168.31(1)(e).
  6. Requiring reports from local election officials. Mich. Comp. Laws Serv. § 168.31(1)(g).
  7. Investigating the administration of election laws and reporting violations to the Attorney General for prosecution. Mich. Comp. Laws Serv. § 168.31(1)(h).
  8. Publishing the vote for Governor, Secretary of State, and members of the State Legislature in the legislative manual. Mich. Comp. Laws Serv. § 168.31(1)(i).
  9. Establishing a training and continuing education program for all local election officials. Mich. Comp. Laws Serv. § 168.31(1)(j), (k).
  10. Creating a dispute resolution team to resolve disputes on Election Day. Mich. Comp. Laws Serv. § 168.31(1)(n).
  11. Auditing election precincts. Mich. Comp. Laws Serv. § 168.31a(1).
  12. Prescribing procedures for election audits. Mich. Comp. Laws Serv. § 168.31a(2).
  13. Preserving certified copies of the statements of votes received from the Boards of County Canvassers. Mich. Comp. Laws Serv. § 168.843.