Latest / DEEP INSIGHT / Michigan secretary of state Our job is guarding citizens against election overreach

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Michigan secretary of state Our job is guarding citizens against election overreach · DEEP INSIGHT

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  Speaker 1: And as primary season kicks off, state election officials around
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  Speaker 1: the country are navigating an unusual political landscape ahead of
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  Speaker 1: November's mid terms, with a chance that an election bill
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  Speaker 1: making its way through Congress could overhaul the country's voting laws,
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  Speaker 1: and a president who's calling for more federal control over
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  Speaker 1: voting and continues to make false claims about the election
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  Speaker 1: he lost in twenty twenty. Joining me now is Michigan
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  Speaker 1: Secretary of State Joscelyn Benson. She is also a Democratic
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  Speaker 1: candidate for governor. Secretary Benson, I do want to start
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  Speaker 1: with the overall landscape heading into the midterm elections. How's
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  Speaker 1: Michigan preparing for the primaries in August and the general
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  Speaker 1: election in November.
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  Speaker 2: Well, this is We've been through this rodeo before in
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  Speaker 2: twenty twenty, twenty two, twenty four, So we've got a
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  Speaker 2: well oiled machine here in Michigan. Our elections are safe
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  Speaker 2: and secure. We've had back to back to back the
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  Speaker 2: highest turnout elections in our state's history over the last
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  Speaker 2: several cycles. We have fifteen hundred local clerks who show
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  Speaker 2: up to work every day. They are professional, they are bipartisan,
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  Speaker 2: and they are ready to ensure our elections are smooth,
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  Speaker 2: and that's why it's so important that elections are run
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  Speaker 2: by the states and at the local level, because we
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  Speaker 2: know best what our voters need to ensure their voices
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  Speaker 2: are heard, no matter who they may vote for. And
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  Speaker 2: I'm really proud in Michigan we've got a record of
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  Speaker 2: high turnout, secure elections with the results are an accurate
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  Speaker 2: reflection of the will of the people.
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  Speaker 1: Well, NBC has reported that the FBI has actually invited
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  Speaker 1: state election officials to discuss those preparations ahead of the midterms.
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  Speaker 1: Sources called the invitation a bit unusual and unexpected. So
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  Speaker 1: have you received that invitation or have other officials in
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  Speaker 1: the state, and if so, what can you tell us
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  Speaker 1: about it and whether you will take them up on it.
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  Speaker 2: We have, I mean, to a certain extent. Working with
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  Speaker 2: federal enforcement officials is somewhat routine when ensuring our elections
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  Speaker 2: are secure, making sure we have support from federal officials
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  Speaker 2: if we need additional monitoring, cybersecurity protections and the like.
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  Speaker 2: That's all been routine and really helpful for the last
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  Speaker 2: several cycles. What feels different about this invitation is that
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  Speaker 2: it feels more like we're being investigated, or that there's
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  Speaker 2: this presumption of impropriety that isn't based on any facts.
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  Speaker 2: It's just based on sort of falsehoods and suspicions. And
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  Speaker 2: so I think why people are a little bit on
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  Speaker 2: edge and suspicious of this invitation is that it's not
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  Speaker 2: been extended as a helping hand, but more as a
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  Speaker 2: sort of almost investigatory approach. Of course, what happened in
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  Speaker 2: Fulton County, Georgia recently just underscores that sentiment. So for us,
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  Speaker 2: we welcome support from the federal government, but we also
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  Speaker 2: know how to do our jobs, and we expect respect
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  Speaker 2: and to a certain extent difference so that the professionals
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  Speaker 2: at the local level are able to do the jobs
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  Speaker 2: they signed up to do well.
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  Speaker 1: You've said that state election officials are really the only
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  Speaker 1: guardrails left when it comes to election security. So tell
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  Speaker 1: me more about that and how you think about this
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  Speaker 1: idea of putting election guardrails around someone and an administration
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  Speaker 1: to those really demonstrated a willingness to test them.
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  Speaker 2: Yeah, it's very clear, and it has been really since
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  Speaker 2: we endured and prevailed in the twenty twenty elections in
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  Speaker 2: ensuring our democracy held that this administration is willing to
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  Speaker 2: use every tool at their disposal to try to create
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  Speaker 2: chaos and confusion about the sanctity and the security of
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  Speaker 2: the elections process. But just as this president doesn't get
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  Speaker 2: to decide who wins elections, he also doesn't get to
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  Speaker 2: decide who runs them. The law dictates that, and the
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  Speaker 2: law has in a very effective way enabled us to
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  Speaker 2: protect the sanctity of our elections at the local level
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  Speaker 2: when it's enforced. And so that's why those state officials
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  Speaker 2: are so critical, because we follow the law, we follow
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  Speaker 2: the Constitution, we follow the rules, and we make sure
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  Speaker 2: that no matter who someone votes for, they can cast
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  Speaker 2: their ballot freely and fairly and have confidence that the
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  Speaker 2: results are an accurate reflection of their will. That's our duty,
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  Speaker 2: that's our oath of office that we take, and our job,
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  Speaker 2: unfortunately in this moment, often means guarding that reality that
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  Speaker 2: those protections, guarding our citizens and the safety of our
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  Speaker 2: elections against a real overreach and even abusive authority at
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  Speaker 2: times at the federal government.
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  Speaker 1: Well, I want to ask you more about that. How
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  Speaker 1: seriously do you take those recent comments from the President
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  Speaker 1: about nationalizing voting or having more federal control over elections.
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  Speaker 2: We take them as seriously as we've taken every other
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  Speaker 2: seed that he has planted. To suggest any element, falsely
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  Speaker 2: of improprietary or problems with our elections. We know in Michigan,
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  Speaker 2: as in other states, our elections are secure. We have
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  Speaker 2: post election audits that reaffirm their accuracy. We have, as
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  Speaker 2: I said, a well oiled machine. And for the President
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  Speaker 2: to joke about the nationalization of elections what it does,
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  Speaker 2: even though he has no authority to cancel elections to
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  Speaker 2: change who runs them, it does create a sense of
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  Speaker 2: fear and uncertainty among citizens at a time when we
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  Speaker 2: at the state level are working to give them the
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  Speaker 2: confidence and clarity they need that our elections will be held.
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  Speaker 3: And that they can hold there are leaders accountable, which
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  Speaker 3: is also what this is all about, trying to at
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  Speaker 3: a time when at least in Michigan, opinion polls show
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  Speaker 3: the president is not very popular, trying to create confusion
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  Speaker 3: about our ability of citizens to hold him accountable with
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  Speaker 3: the ballot box.
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  Speaker 2: This fall is of course on America, and it is undemocratic,
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  Speaker 2: but it is not going to change our focus on
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  Speaker 2: making sure our elections are held safely, securely freely this fall,
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  Speaker 2: so that citizens can to their leaders and hold those
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  Speaker 2: that they oppose accountable.
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  Speaker 1: And logistically, when we're talking about the Save America Act,
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  Speaker 1: what do you mean if it passed before November? Would
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  Speaker 1: you even have time and the resources to implement those
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  Speaker 1: provisions around voter registration and photo ID requirements without potentially
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  Speaker 1: disenfranchising eligible voters. Would that be feasible?
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  Speaker 3: No, it would not be feasible.
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  Speaker 2: And unless the federal government wants to, as we've asked for,
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  Speaker 2: give us a significant amount of money to help us
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  Speaker 2: continue to administer our elections securely and safely, it is
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  Speaker 2: untenable to add these additional mandates and requirements that no
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  Speaker 2: one is asking for that are unnecessary for securing our elections,
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  Speaker 2: but that would create a lot of challenges in making
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  Speaker 2: sure our elections go smoothly. So we are prepared and
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  Speaker 2: the secretaries of state around the nation are talking about
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  Speaker 2: how to handle the potential for this legislation to pass.
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  Speaker 2: But it is simply untenable and unworkable to expect any
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  Speaker 2: state to be able to administer these additional changes to
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  Speaker 2: the law in time for the midterm elections. And so
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  Speaker 2: what we should likely see is simply a lot of
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  Speaker 2: states not being able to feasibly comply elections going smoothly
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  Speaker 2: and as planned, and likely there will be some legal
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  Speaker 2: action if this were to pass, to at least prevent
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  Speaker 2: it from being in effect this fall, so that we
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  Speaker 2: have the protection of the courts and our ability to
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  Speaker 2: ensure our elections go smoothly.
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  Speaker 1: A lot to watch for their Michigan Secretary of State
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  Speaker 1: Jocelyn Benson, thanks for your time
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  Speaker 2: Thank you, thanks for having me well, thank you for watching,
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  Speaker 2: and remember stay updated on breaking news and top stories
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  Speaker 2: on the NBC News app or watch live on our
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  Speaker 2: YouTube channel.