LANSING, Mich.(WZMQ) – Michigan lawmakers are calling on the Secretary of State’s office to release election training materials to the House Committee on Oversight. The Committee’s chair approved a subpoena request on Tuesday, and lawmakers are now preparing to deliver it to the secretary’s office.
Representative Jay DeBoyer (R-Clay), chair of the oversight committee, said the process started five months ago. Representative Rachelle Smit (R-Shelbyville) requested a list of documents last term, but only a portion of the requested documents were presented. On April 4, DeBoyer gave the department a 10-day deadline to provide the withheld files, after which he requested permission for the subpoena, which was approved Tuesday.
The secretary’s spokesperson said the withheld documents contain information that could be used to compromise the technology and procedures used by local election officials. The chair of Michigan’s Democratic party went so far as to call the subpoena a gross overstep by the committee, and that Republicans have given themselves unprecedented power to investigate political opponents. DeBoyer said the committee is just doing its job.
“One of the basic tenets of the House of Representatives, and specifically the Oversight Committee, is oversight on government, on the executive branch, and on itself, for that matter,” DeBoyer said. “There are statutes in the state of Michigan that outline how elections are to be run. From an oversight committee perspective, if I don’t have the information that is being used to train people who run elections, how do I oversee that they’re abiding by the law?”
DeBoyer says he has yet to file the subpoena but plans to do so soon. Secretary Benson’s spokesperson said they will take all necessary steps to protect the security and integrity of Michigan’s elections and are more than willing to make these arguments in court.
Update 4/23/25: Representative DeBoyer served the subpoena to the Secretary of State on Tuesday, April 22. At a conference on Wednesday, Secretary Benson said that as the process plays out and the courts get involved, her hope is to stay focused on ensuring transparency while protecting the security of our elections.
“We don’t want to do anything that would threaten the security of our elections. We invite the court to help us work it out and figure out the best path forward.” Benson said. “As professional election administrators on this side of the debate and lawmakers on the other, we both have an interest in ensuring transparency rules the day, but also that our elections are secure.”
