FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 16, 2026 Contact: Cheri Hardmon hardmonc@michigan.gov Secretary Benson statement on the president's false claims about election security Today, Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson issued the following statement reaffirming Michigan's safe and secure election process following the presidential address:   "As health care costs escalate and millions of Americans struggle to make ends meet, the President of the United States chose tonight not to discuss any plans to address those critical needs. Instead he chose to rehash long debunked and baseless conspiracy theories about an election he lost almost six years ago.   "But none of his rhetoric changes what’s true: Michigan’s elections are secure and safe and the results are an accurate reflection of the will of the people. This was the case in 2020, 2022, 2024, and will be again in 2026. Because in every election, over 1,600 bipartisan professional election administrators and thousands of trained poll workers ensure that the law is followed and that every valid vote counts. And after every election, we conduct dozens of professional audits at every level to reinforce this fact.   "To the Michiganders and American citizens concerned about the president’s statements tonight, I encourage you to serve as a poll worker in the upcoming elections. You’ll see firsthand just how secure our elections truly are."