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Critics argue that Michigan’s reliance on electronic vote tabulation without identity verification safeguards is creating an environment where election results are vulnerable to manipulation. Because ballots become entirely anonymous once they’re scanned into these devices, any fraudulent vote remains in the system, counted like any legitimate ballot. If, for example, a Michigan resident cast a vote for Donald Trump and Republican Mike Rogers, that vote would be effectively canceled if a foreign student voted for Democratic candidates Kamala Harris and Elissa Slotkin. The current system, they argue, allows illegal votes to dilute lawful ones without consequence.
Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson has repeatedly defended the integrity of the state’s elections, insisting that only U.S. citizens can vote. “We have many checks in place to ensure that the law is followed by everyone,” Benson told Fox 2 earlier this year. She dismissed concerns over non-citizens voting as “misinformation,” and emphasized the importance of combating what she called “conspiracy theories” that could undermine trust in Michigan’s electoral process.
“Well, only U.S. citizens can vote,” Benson reiterated to Fox 2, underscoring the supposed checks in place at every level of Michigan’s decentralized voting system. She stressed the need to combat misinformation ahead of the upcoming presidential election, asserting that there are safeguards against unauthorized voting. “It’s important in this era of misinformation that every citizen has the information they need,” she told Fox 2. According to Benson, any suggestion that non-citizens are voting in U.S. elections is part of a misinformation campaign aimed at eroding public confidence in the election system.
Despite her reassurances, Benson has lost several election-related lawsuits in Michigan. Critics argue that her office has failed to remove unqualified voters from the state’s voter rolls, a point raised in a lawsuit filed by the Republican National Committee. The RNC claims there are more names on Michigan’s voter rolls than eligible voters in the state, citing this as evidence that the Secretary of State has neglected critical updates to voter registration lists. Benson, however, maintains that the system is both secure and efficient, dismissing concerns over illegal voting as negligible.
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To support her case, Benson pointed to studies suggesting that the likelihood of non-citizens voting is exceptionally low. “There’s no evidence that non-citizens are voting,” she stated, adding that Michigan’s decentralized system includes numerous checks across local, state, and county levels. She highlighted a report suggesting that illegal voting is so rare, it’s less likely than finding astronauts on the U.S. Space Station. “The reality is that it’s infinitesimal,” Benson claimed.
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But for critics of Michigan’s election policies, these reassurances ring hollow. They argue that instances like the University of Michigan student’s vote are evidence that current systems are too lenient, allowing non-citizens to cast ballots without adequate oversight. With more questions than answers, many Michiganders worry that their voices are being diluted—and are calling for stricter controls to ensure their votes are protected in future elections.
