Barb Byrum (D)
Barb Byrum grew up in a working-class Michigan family, shaped by two of the strongest women in her life – her mother and grandmother – who instilled in her a deep sense of justice from an early age. Even as a child, she pushed for fairness, challenging school policies that excluded girls. She later became a small business owner, where she honed her commitment to customer service and learned to connect with people from all backgrounds.
Following in her mother’s footsteps, Barb ran for her State House seat at 28, serving as Caucus Vice Chair and Chair of the Agricultural Committee, where she championed small businesses, reproductive rights, and fair elections. As Ingham County Clerk, she modernized the office, saved taxpayer money, and led Michigan’s first 2016 recount with transparency and speed. Now, Barb is ready to take on election deniers and continue fighting for accessible, accountable government as Secretary of State – protecting rights, strengthening democracy, and delivering excellent service for all Michiganders.
Garlin Gilchrist (D)
Garlin Gilchrist is a husband, father, engineer, and public servant dedicated to making government work for everyday people. As a proven leader working alongside Governor Gretchen Whitmer, Garlin has helped deliver real results for Michigan – from expanding access to free pre-K and protecting reproductive freedom to strengthening small businesses, reforming the justice system, and connecting tens of thousands of Michiganders to fast, affordable internet. His work reflects a core belief that when government functions well, it creates opportunity and improves lives across the state.
Now running for Secretary of State, Garlin is focused on defending democracy at a moment when free and fair elections are under threat. As the nation’s only statewide elected software engineer, he brings a unique perspective on protecting voter data, modernizing government services, and ensuring elections are secure, accessible, and transparent. Rooted in his Detroit upbringing and guided by a commitment to integrity and public service, Garlin is ready to safeguard the right to vote while building a Michigan where every voice is heard and every community can thrive.
Suzanna Shkreli (D)
Suzanna Shkreli has built a career defined by service, dedication, and a deep commitment to Michigan. A first-generation American of Albanian heritage, she grew up learning hard work and service in her family’s restaurant, played competitive ice hockey, and completed college and law school quickly. She spent nearly eight years as an Assistant Prosecuting Attorney in Macomb County protecting vulnerable children, then served in Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s administration as Deputy Legal Counsel, Michigan’s Child Advocate, Director of Juvenile Justice Reform, and Lottery Commissioner, helping deliver over $2 billion to support public schools.
Now, Suzanna is running for Michigan Secretary of State to defend democracy and safeguard elections. She plans to strengthen voter protections while improving services for Michiganders – introducing digital driver’s licenses, faster election results, and convenient walk-in hours for seniors. With her experience and determination, Suzanna is ready to protect Michigan’s elections and make government work better for the people.
Monica Yatooma (R)
Monica Yatooma has built her public profile on partisan activism rather than practical experience managing a large government office. While she emphasizes her background as a business owner and policy advocate, leading a small company and serving on local party boards offers little preparation for overseeing Michigan’s elections, voter registration, and statewide branch offices. Her campaign messaging focuses on ideological appeals like “election integrity” and parental rights, rather than concrete plans for running the office effectively.
Yatooma co-founded the far-right Great Schools Initiative (GSI), which pushes parents to use opt-out forms to exclude students from discussions of gender identity, sexual orientation, and LGBTQ+-inclusive education. The effort targets supportive school programs and staff while harming LGBTQ+ youth. She actively collaborates with partisan groups like Moms for Liberty and other conservative networks, prioritizing ideological messaging and media attention over the practical competence and impartiality needed to run one of Michigan’s largest and most complex state agencies.
Anthony G. Forlini (R)
Anthony G. Forlini, Macomb County Clerk, has faced scrutiny over his handling of election irregularities. In the August 2024 primary, four St. Clair Shores voters allegedly cast ballots twice – a felony in Michigan. Though state safeguards flagged the problem, a poll worker overrode the system and allowed the votes to count. Forlini defended the response as ‘transparent,’ but critics argue this downplayed the seriousness of the issue and exposed weak oversight under his watch.
While state officials emphasized that Michigan’s safeguards worked and that double voting is exceedingly rare, Forlini’s handling of the incident raised concerns about accountability. His rhetoric on “clean elections” contrasts with the reality that mistakes were allowed to slip through, fueling doubts about whether he would truly prioritize protecting voters and strengthening trust in democracy.
Timothy Smith (R)
Despite marketing himself as a “common sense” candidate, Timothy Smith’s platform is a blueprint for voter suppression dressed up as election integrity. His agenda leans heavily on fearmongering about voter fraud – a crime already exceedingly rare – to justify aggressive purges of Michigan’s voter rolls, expanded prosecutorial threats, and new hurdles that will overwhelmingly impact lawful voters. Smith’s proposal to automatically remove people from the rolls if they cannot be instantly “verified,” along with his push for rapid-fire purges of deceased voters and annual audits targeting so-called “fraudulent” entries, mirrors the same tactics used across the country to disenfranchise marginalized communities and restrict ballot access.
Amanda Love (R)
Amanda Love’s platform dresses up the election-denier agenda in bureaucratic language, but the goal is clear – making it harder for eligible Michiganders to vote. Her proposals rely on fearmongering about “inflated rolls” to justify constant voter purges, revived verification schemes known for wrongly flagging lawful voters, and surveillance-heavy rules for absentee ballots and drop boxes. These tactics mirror the national playbook used to weaponize election administration and suppress turnout among young voters, naturalized citizens, and communities of color.