The following is a transcript of an interview with Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan” that aired on October 20, 2024.
MARGARET BRENNAN: We now turn to the Michigan Secretary of State, Jocelyn Benson. Good morning, Madam Secretary.
SECRETARY OF STATE JOCELYN BENSON : Good morning.
MARGARET BRENNAN: So over 1 million people have voted in Michigan. More than 2 million people have requested an absentee ballot. I know you’re making your own noise in Detroit, which started voting yesterday. How are the results?
SEC. BENSON: People are excited, and it’s really fun. We are now more than two weeks out, just over two weeks out, and already, as mentioned, over a million citizens have returned absentee ballots, which is a good sign for voter turnout on both sides of the aisle. Then yesterday, Detroit launched early voting, where residents can come and actually put their ballots in the machines. That’s what I did, and I joined almost 2000 other people who did it. And just to give some comparison, the first day of voting in Detroit in the August primary, we saw just over 200 people vote. This time we saw 2000, or close to 2000, 10 times, almost, as many. So it shows that the citizens of Detroit are very enthusiastic and engaged, and I am very grateful to all the partners who have educated citizens about their right to vote this past week.
MARGARET BRENNAN: So I want to ask you the same question that you — my friend from Georgia: if a presidential candidate from another party wins, will you apply for an election certification for that winner? It has the potential of Donald Trump.
SEC. BENSON: Yes, without a doubt. I mean, that’s my job. That’s our job as professional election organizers, to make it easy to vote, hard to cheat, and we all stand up to the will of the people, no matter what.
MARGARET BRENNAN: How quickly do you expect results?
SEC. BENSON: Well, you know, in 2020, we had the highest election results in Michigan history, within 24 hours of the polls closing. Unofficial results are due at 8pm on Wednesday. So we tracked it again this year. We have more options to process ballots sooner than Election Day, which is where we’re limited in 2020, so I’m optimistic we’ll see results sooner. But I would guess, the end of Wednesday, is the best estimate of performance. But that said, we will always prioritize accuracy and security over efficiency. Knowing how much people want these results, we will still make sure the process is safe and accurate before releasing anything to the public. But that said, we understand people’s energy and excitement, and we’ll work hard to make sure the results are ready as soon as possible.
MARGARET BRENNAN: You’ve posted on X, officially known as Twitter, about Elon Musk, who you accuse of intentionally spreading false information about Michigan voters. He is a big supporter of Donald Trump. They have that platform. Do you believe – do you believe his intentions here? And how concerned are you that they are misleading voters?
SEC. BENSON: Well, I’m going to say two things. One, we know the enemies of democracy today are trying to create chaos and confusion and sow the seeds of distrust about a clear and legitimate and accurate and secure election process, not just in Michigan but across the country. So we all need to find reliable sources of information like local election officials and use data to evaluate the questions, rather than people who run social media companies with a specific agenda and have a history of spreading conspiracy theories and lies. information. So at this point, it will be my responsibility, and everyone’s, to see and promote and spread reliable information about our election so that people know where to go to ask questions and also trust the results. We have set up a website, michigan.gov/electionfacts, that addresses every question people have raised, and we encourage citizens to go there, instead of to social media to find reliable and accurate information about our elections.
MARGARET BRENNAN: You’ve said before that Michigan, your state, is being targeted by foreign actors who are trying to disrupt the democratic process. Have you been given concrete evidence or examples by US intelligence of what is happening in your warring country, what does it look like?
SEC. BENSON: We know that we- because our systems are secure, there are foreign bad actors and enemies of democracy on a global scale who will try to not only hack our systems, but hack the minds of voters, to spread falsehoods and misinformation. Not only to sow the seeds of distrust, but to undermine citizens’ confidence in the process and their own voices. And you see it amplifying now, because if there is enough noise, it can cause people to potentially give up and say, I don’t know what to believe. I love everything. That’s the goal. So we’re looking at efforts to amplify misinformation, and we’re ready, again, to push back with real information, but we also need voters to be a part of that.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Thank you for setting up my table, Madam Secretary. We will be right back.
