Michigan’s Democrat Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson announced her pay for government on Wednesday night. But she has shown regularly she is inadequate to manage the condition.
Michigan’s government may take an oath to “support the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of this condition. ” Considering Benson’s history — from colluding with “Zuckbucks ” groups to tampering with elections to making authoritarian threats — she cannot take this oath in good faith.
In the race for chancellor, Benson faces Democrat Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, running as an independent, and Republican state Sen. Minority Leader Aric Nesbitt.
‘Zuckbucks ’ Collusion
Benson has a history of working with groups connected to “Zuckbucks, ” the scheme that flooded leftist nonprofits with millions to boost Democrat turnout in 2020.
The Center for Election Innovation and Research ( CEIR ) accepted nearly$ 70 million from Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg in 2020 and funneled the money to local election offices in primarily Democrat areas. Zuckerberg also funneled money through the Center for Tech and Civic Life ( CTCL), so the election funding totaled nearly$ 400 million.
The National Vote at Home Institute, which frequently conspired with CTCL to control election management, worked with Benson to change election guidelines. As The Federalist reported, the group ’s then-CEO Amber McReynolds suggested to Benson in 2019 that she use “rule-making authority ” to enable “permanent or election specific absentee requests ” without any “legislative change. ” Benson finally mailed absentee ballot programs nationwide in 2020.
In September 2020, the same year in which it used “Zuckbucks ” to impact elections, CEIR sent$ 12 million to the Michigan Center for Election Law and Administration— which Benson had led until February of that year. According to InfluenceWatch, Benson’s former group then sent$ 11 million in “consulting fees ” to Democrat firms for so-called “nonpartisan voter education. ”
In 2024 Benson continued to work with CEIR ahead of November’s vote. She hosted its founder and executive director, David Becker— known as a “hard-core leftist ” — in July to lecture residents on election “security and safety, ” thanking him for his work “to strengthen our democracy. ”
Election Tampering
Benson’s plan website calls her a “national analyst on voting rights. ” The site more says, “As Secretary of State she has transformed our politics, ensured free and fair, open and protected elections … and implemented reforms to protect the safety and stability of every person regardless of their race, gender, belief, or gender. ”
On the first count, right — she has truly “transformed our politics ” in Michigan but by tampering with voting rules. As for the rest of the states, Benson’s record indicates they are patently false.
Benson has faced repeated election integrity lawsuits over issues that include the state’s severely bloated voter rolls, last-minute poll worker restrictions, guidance causing “thousands ” of improperly processed ballots, and a lack of signature verification. In September of last year, she refused to tell Congress if dying registrants were still on Michigan’s voting spins.
When businessman Elon Musk asked whether Michigan had more registered voters than qualified individuals, Benson tried to refute him — wrong citing information in the process. She cited the “voting age population ” as “citizens of voting age, ” making the disparity between eligible citizens and registered voters appear smaller than in reality. And while she claimed 1. 2 million filings were slated for treatment, only half that amount were set for elimination by 2027.
Six secretaries of state, including Benson, agreed to fight a so-called “common adversary ” in November’s election. When The Federalist asked what — or who — this attack may remain, Benson’s company did not reply.
Benson fought Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ’s efforts to remove his title from November’s vote in Michigan, possible aiming to assist Vice President Kamala Harris ’ chances against Trump. He also won the state.
When a Chinese national reportedly voted at the University of Michigan in November, leaders also counted the ballot — even though he now faces criminal charges. And as of last month, he was still on the condition voting rolls.
Authoritarian Rhetoric
Benson has consistently made dangers toward political separatists. As The Federalist reported before November’s vote, she asked people to report another to a state email address for conversation deemed “misinformation. ” Just days after this discovery, state Attorney General Dana Nessel — even a Democrat — threatened to sue a girl for posting supposedly “misleading or false” vote information online.
Benson also threatened “legal consequences ” if local election officials hesitate to certify November’s results. When a Michigan staffer later said he would confirm election results if appropriate, leftist groups descended to pay lawfare.
In Benson’s film announcing her bid for chancellor, she bragged about “investigating radical extremist groups. ” Using the standard of her former boss, the Southern Poverty Law Center, this may include traditional and religious freedom parties.
“We need leaders who are transparent and accountable, ” Benson said in the video. Considering Benson’s record, these thoughts do not identify her.
Logan Washburn is a team author covering election integrity. He is a flower 2025 fellow of The College Fix. He graduated from Hillsdale College, served as Christopher Rufo’s journal helper, and has bylines in The Wall Street Journal, The Tennessean, and The Daily Caller. Logan is from Central Oregon but then lives in remote Michigan.
