Voting Rights Advocates and Election Officials Assure Voters that Michigan Elections are Secure, Transparent and Accurate

At a press briefing today, voting rights advocates and Michigan clerks reaffirmed that Michigan’s election system is secure and transparent, and that elections are administered with accurate results.

The briefing was held on the first day Michiganders can begin voting early at their local clerk’s office using an absentee ballot. The briefing featured timely remarks from Grand Rapids City Clerk Joel Hondorp, Ingham County Clerk Barb Byrum, and Promote the Vote Fund Election Protection Director Mackenzie Walz, who is also with the nonpartisan Election Protection Program, a statewide coalition of more than 100 organizations that advance voting rights.

Joel Hondorp said this:

“I can say with complete confidence that our elections are safe, secure, fair, and have accurate results.  And I am not alone in my certainty in the security and accuracy of our election system.  An August report done by the University of Michigan Center for Local, State, and Urban Policy confirms that local officials across our state are confident in their ability to administer fair and accurate election results. In fact, the report found that 95 percent of those directly responsible for election administration are ‘very confident’ in their jurisdiction’s ability to conduct elections accurately.

“Those of us who have dedicated our careers to this work overwhelmingly believe in the systems that are in place.  That is a message all Michiganders can take heart in.”

Barb Byrum said this:

“Michigan is special because our decentralized elections require thousands of community members across the state to work together to carry out our elections. These dedicated folks are your friends and neighbors - bipartisan teams - who are united to ensure our elections are free and fair. These civic-minded community members receive robust training on election procedures and how to follow each and every step to carry them out. And they take an oath, swearing to uphold Michigan's election laws and the United States Constitution.

“While there are those who will continue to try and sow distrust in our elections, we invite Michiganders across the state to see for themselves. Sign up to be a poll worker or observer and get a front row seat to how our elections are carried out. Engaging in our democracy is how we can best defend it.” 

Mackenzie Walz said this:

“Our state has some of the strongest voter protections in the nation, thanks to Michiganders overwhelmingly voting to improve voting rights with two state constitutional amendments. Michigan’s statewide nonpartisan Election Protection Program – a group of over 100 of local, state, and national organizations – is working tirelessly to ensure all eligible Michiganders can exercise these rights that they fought hard to put into law. All Michiganders can play a part in making sure the November 2026 election is safe and secure by supporting our clerks and election workers, signing up to be a nonpartisan poll challenger, and of course, calling the nonpartisan election protection hotline at (866) OUR-VOTE with any voting-related questions or problems between now and November 3.”

View recorded media briefing here.

Read the University of Michigan report.