Michigan Secretary of State election, 2018

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Michigan Secretary of State election, 2018
Flag of Michigan.svg
  2014 November 6, 2018 (2018-11-06)2022 
  Jocelyn Michelle Benson (cropped).jpg 3x4.svg
Nominee Jocelyn Benson Mary Treder Lang
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote2,203,6111,833,609
Percentage52.9%44.0%

Secretary of State before election

Ruth Johnson
Republican

Elected Secretary of State

Jocelyn Benson
Democratic

The Michigan Secretary of State election of 2018 took place on November 6, 2018, alongside Michigan's governor, Class I United States Senator, Attorney General, as well elections for Michigan's 14 seats in the United States House of Representatives, all 38 seats in the Michigan Senate and all 110 seats in the Michigan House of Representatives; to elect the Secretary of State of Michigan. Incumbent Republican Secretary of State Ruth Johnson could not seek a third term due to term limits. The Michigan GOP was looking to win its 7th straight Secretary of State election. Along with the offices of Lieutenant Governor and Attorney General, the nominees for Secretary of State will be chosen by party delegates at their respective party conventions.

Contents

On November 6, 2018, Benson defeated Lang by an 8.8% margin.

Republican Party

Candidates

Nominee

Eastern Michigan University comprehensive, co-educational public university in Ypsilanti, Michigan, United States

Eastern Michigan University (EMU) is a public university in Ypsilanti, Michigan. Ypsilanti is 35 miles (56 km) west of Detroit and eight miles (13 km) east of Ann Arbor. The university was founded in 1849 as Michigan State Normal School. Today, the university is governed by an eight-member Board of Regents whose members are appointed by the governor of Michigan for eight-year terms. The school belongs to the Mid-American Conference and is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. Since 1991 EMU athletes have been known as "Eagles" and the school mascot, Swoop, was officially adopted by the university three years later.

Declared

Shelby Charter Township, Michigan Charter township in Michigan, United States

Shelby Charter Township, officially the Charter Township of Shelby, is a charter township and census-designated place located in Macomb County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The township, an affluent northern suburb of Detroit, is located roughly 15 miles north of the city. As of the 2000 census, the township had a total population of 65,159. The 2010 Census places the population at 73,804. Shelby Charter Township is one of the fastest growing communities in Metro Detroit.

Withdrew

Endorsements

Stan Grot
Federal politicians
Jack Bergman American military official and politician

John Warren Bergman is a retired United States Marine Corps lieutenant general and the U.S. Representative for Michigan's 1st congressional district. He served as commanding general of Marine Forces Reserve and Marine Forces North. He also served as a naval aviator, flying rotary-winged aircraft such as the CH-46 and UH-1, as well as fixed-wing aircraft such as the T-28 and KC-130. A Republican, he was elected to the U.S. House in the 2016 election. Bergman is the highest-ranking military official ever elected to the United States Congress.

United States House of Representatives lower house of the United States Congress

The United States House of Representatives is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they compose the legislature of the United States.

Michigans 1st congressional district Congressional district in Michigan

Michigan's 1st congressional district is a United States Congressional district containing the entire Upper Peninsula of Michigan and 16 counties of Northern Michigan in the Lower Peninsula. The district is represented by Republican Jack Bergman.

State Government Officials

Gary Howell is a Republican member of the Michigan House of Representatives who has represented Lapeer County since 2016.

Michigan House of Representatives

The Michigan House of Representatives is the lower house of the Michigan Legislature. There are 110 members, each of whom is elected from constituencies having approximately 77,000 to 91,000 residents, based on population figures from the 2010 U.S. Census. Its composition, powers, and duties are established in Article IV of the Michigan Constitution.

Mary Treder Lang
State Government Officials
Terri Lynn Land American politician

Terri Lynn Land is an American politician who served as Michigan's 41st Secretary of State. In 2012, Land was elected to the Republican National Committee. She was the Republican nominee for the 2014 United States Senate race in Michigan, losing in the general election to Democrat Gary Peters, a U.S. Representative.

Michigan Secretary of State

The Michigan Department of State is administered by the Secretary of State, who is elected on a partisan ballot for a term of four years in gubernatorial elections.

Local elected officials

Democratic Party

Candidates

Nominee

Potential

Endorsements

Jocelyn Benson
Federal politicians
State Government Officials
Local elected officials
  • Mark Hackel, Macomb County Executive and former Macomb County Sheriff (2000-2010) [10]
  • Bob Smith, chairman of the Macomb County Board of Commissioners [11]
  • Eric Smith, Macomb County Prosecutor [11]
  • Anthony Wickersham, Macomb County Sheriff [10]

Minor parties

Libertarian Party

General election

Polling

Poll sourceDate(s)
administered
Sample
size
Margin
of error
Mary Treder
Lang (R)
Jocelyn
Benson (D)
OtherUndecided
Glengariff Group October 25–27, 2018600± 4.0%34%45%4% [12] 17%
EPIC-MRA October 18–23, 2018600± 4.0%36%40%3% [13] 17%
Marketing Resource Group October 14–18, 2018600± 4.0%33%41%3% [14] 17%
Glengariff Group September 30 – October 2, 2018600± 4.0%29%41%7%23%
EPIC-MRA September 21–25, 2018600± 4.0%31%40%3% [15] 19%
Glengariff Group September 5–7, 2018600± 4.0%29%44%5%23%

Fundraising

Campaign finance reports as of October 21, 2018
Candidate (party)Total receiptsTotal disbursementsCash on hand
Jocelyn Benson (D)$1,420,090.57$1,120,241.74$306,333.15
Mary Treder Lang (R)$671,165.36$562,880.13$108,285.23
Source: Michigan Department of State [16]

Results

Michigan Secretary of State election, 2018 [17]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Democratic Jocelyn Benson 2,203,611 52.87% +9.93%
Republican Mary Treder Lang1,833,60944.00%-9.53%
Libertarian Gregory Stempfle81,6971.96%-0.02%
Taxpayers Robert Gale48,7241.17%+0.05%
Total votes4,162,389100.0%N/A
Democratic gain from Republican

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Macomb County, Michigan County in the United States

Macomb County is a county located in the eastern portion of the U.S. state of Michigan and is part of metro Detroit. As of the 2010 census, the population was 840,978, making it the third-most populous county in the state. Of Michigan's five largest counties, Macomb experienced the most population growth (102.5%) between 1950 and 1960. The county seat is Mt. Clemens.

Candice Miller American politician

Candice Sue Miller is an American politician who was the U.S. Representative for Michigan's 10th congressional district from 2003 to 2017. She is former Michigan Secretary of State, Macomb County Treasurer, and Harrison Township Supervisor. She is a member of the Republican Party. In November 2016, she was elected Macomb County Public Works commissioner, defeating 6-term incumbent Anthony Marrocco.

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The Mall at Partridge Creek is an open-air shopping mall in Clinton Township, a suburb of Detroit, Michigan, United States. Under construction since 2005, the mall opened to the public on October 18, 2007. The Mall at Partridge Creek features free WiFi, pop jet fountains, a TV court and a 40' fireplace, and welcomes dogs and provides four dog comfort stations on site. The Mall at Partridge Creek was developed by the Taubman Corporation of Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. It is also the first mall to open in Macomb County since Lakeside Mall in 1976. The mall, managed by Taubman Center, reported 2006 average sales per square foot of $539, well above the threshold for 'class A' mall properties. The state's first L.L.Bean opened in the center court between Pandora and Lush in 2016. In August 2018, the Carson's at the mall closed due to the chain’s liquidation.

Carmella Sabaugh is an American politician. She served as County Clerk/Register of Deeds for Macomb County, Michigan from 1993 to 2017. Sarbaugh was the 2006 Democratic candidate for Michigan Secretary of State.

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Jocelyn Benson is the Secretary of State of Michigan. She is also the former Dean of Wayne State University Law School in Detroit, Michigan, a co-founder of the Military Spouses of Michigan and a board member of the Ross Initiative in Sports for Equality. She is the author of "State Secretaries of State: Guardians of the Democratic Process." Crain's named her one of Michigan's "Most Influential Women" in 2016 and in October 2015 she became one of the youngest women in the state's history to be inducted into the Michigan Women's Hall of Fame, second only to Serena Williams. On November 6, 2018, Benson was elected to be Michigan's next Secretary of State, becoming the first Democrat to hold the office since Richard H. Austin left office in 1995.

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References

  1. 1 2 Gray, Kathleen (September 19, 2017). "2018 races getting crowded for attorney general, secretary of state". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved September 20, 2017.
  2. 1 2 Gray, Kathleen (August 15, 2017). "Attorney Dana Nessel, known for defense of same-sex marriage, jumps into AG's race". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved August 16, 2017.
  3. Hotts, Mitch (August 20, 2017). "Shelby Township clerk Stan Grot to announce Secretary of State candidacy". Macomb Daily.
  4. 1 2 Oosting, Jontahan (September 21, 2017). "Kowall withdraws from Michigan SOS race". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved October 6, 2017.
  5. 1 2 3 "Endorsements". Stan Grot For Michigan SOS.
  6. https://www.facebook.com/marytrederlangforsos/posts/820063224870554
  7. "Candice Miller endorses Mary Treder Lang for Secretary of State". Mary Treder Lang for Secretary of State. January 29, 2018.
  8. "L. Brooks Patterson Endorses Mary Treder Lang for SOS". Mary Treder Lang for Secretary of State. February 11, 2018.
  9. Egan, Paul (October 17, 2017). "Attorney Jocelyn Benson is first Democrat in race for Michigan Secretary of State". Detroit Free Press.
  10. 1 2 3 Hotts, Mitch (October 18, 2017). "Macomb Dems to back Jocelyn Benson for secretary of state". The Macomb Daily.
  11. 1 2 3 Joseph, Gina (October 18, 2017). "Jocelyn Benson racks up endorsements for Michigan secretary of state". The Macomb Daily. Retrieved October 26, 2017.
  12. Robert Gale (UTP) with 2%, Greg Stempfle (L) with 2%
  13. Greg Stempfle (L) with 3%
  14. Greg Stempfle (L) with 3%
  15. Greg Stempfle (L) with 3%
  16. "Campaign finance data" . Retrieved September 27, 2018.
  17. https://mielections.us/election/results/2018GEN_CENR.html
Official campaign websites