2018 Michigan Secretary of State election

2018 Michigan Secretary of State election
	Benson: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% >90%; Lang: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90%; Tie: 40–50% No data
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 Republican Party 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 were chosen by party delegates at their respective party conventions.

On November 6, 2018, Benson defeated Lang by an 8.9% margin.

Republican Party

Candidates

Nominee

Mary Treder Lang, Vice Chairwoman of the Eastern Michigan University Board of Regents^[1]

Eliminated at convention

Stan Grot, Shelby Township Clerk^[2]^[3]
Joseph Guzman^[1]

Withdrew

Mike Kowall, state Senator^[4]

Endorsements

Stan Grot

Federal politicians

Jack Bergman, member of the United States House of Representatives from Michigan's 1st congressional district^[5]
Paul Mitchell, member of the United States House of Representatives from Michigan's 10th congressional district^[5]

State Government Officials

Gary Howell, member of the Michigan House of Representatives^[5]

Mary Treder Lang

State Government Officials

Terri Lynn Land, former Michigan Secretary of State (2003-2011)^[6]

Local elected officials

Candice Miller, Macomb County Public Works Commissioner^[7]
L. Brooks Patterson, Oakland County Executive^[8]

Democratic Party

Candidates

Nominee

Jocelyn Benson, Former Dean of Wayne State University Law School and nominee for Secretary of State in 2010^[9]

Declined

Barbara Byrum, Ingham County Clerk^[4]

Endorsements

Jocelyn Benson

Federal politicians

Sander Levin, member of the United States House of Representatives from Michigan's 9th congressional district^[10]
Carl Levin, Former United States Senator from Michigan

State Government Officials

Marilyn Lane, former member of the Michigan House of Representatives (2011-2017)^[11]

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

Gregory Stempfle^[2]

General election

Predictions

Source	Ranking	As of
Governing magazine^[12]	Lean D (flip)	June 4, 2018

Polling

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size^[a]	Margin of error	Mary Treder Lang (R)	Jocelyn Benson (D)	Other	Undecided
Glengariff Group^[13]	October 25–27, 2018	600 (LV)	± 4.0%	34%	45%	4%^[b]	17%
EPIC-MRA^[14]	October 18–23, 2018	600 (LV)	± 4.0%	36%	40%	7%^[c]	17%
Marketing Resource Group^[15]	October 14–18, 2018	600 (LV)	± 4.0%	33%	41%	3%^[d]	17%
Glengariff Group^[16]	September 30 – October 2, 2018	600 (LV)	± 4.0%	29%	41%	7%	23%
EPIC-MRA^[17]	September 21–25, 2018	600 (LV)	± 4.0%	31%	40%	10%^[e]	19%
Glengariff Group^[18]	September 5–7, 2018	600 (LV)	± 4.0%	29%	44%	5%	23%

Fundraising

Campaign finance reports as of October 21, 2018
Candidate (party)	Total receipts	Total disbursements	Cash 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^[19]

Results

Michigan Secretary of State election, 2018^[20]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Jocelyn Benson	2,213,243	52.90%	+9.96%
	Republican	Mary Treder Lang	1,840,118	43.98%	−9.55%
	Libertarian	Gregory Stempfle	81,849	1.96%	−0.02%
	Constitution	Robert Gale	48,816	1.17%	+0.05%
Total votes			4,184,026	100.0%	N/A
	Democratic gain from Republican

Notes

^ Key:
A – all adults
RV – registered voters
LV – likely voters
V – unclear
^ Gale (UTP) with 2%; Stempfle (L) with 2%
^ Stempfle (L) with 3%; "Other party candidate" with 4%
^ Stempfle (L) with 3%
^ "Other party candidate" with 10%; Stempfle (L) with 3%

References

^ ^a ^b Gray, Kathleen (September 19, 2017). "2018 races getting crowded for attorney general, secretary of state". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved September 20, 2017.
^ ^a ^b 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.
^ Hotts, Mitch (August 20, 2017). "Shelby Township clerk Stan Grot to announce Secretary of State candidacy". Macomb Daily. Archived from the original on August 21, 2017. Retrieved August 21, 2017.
^ ^a ^b Oosting, Jonathan (September 21, 2017). "Kowall withdraws from Michigan SOS race". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved October 6, 2017.
^ ^a ^b ^c "Endorsements". Stan Grot For Michigan SOS.^{[permanent dead link‍]}
^ https://www.facebook.com/marytrederlangforsos/posts/820063224870554 ^{[user-generated source]}
^ "Candice Miller endorses Mary Treder Lang for Secretary of State". Mary Treder Lang for Secretary of State. January 29, 2018.^{[permanent dead link‍]}
^ "L. Brooks Patterson Endorses Mary Treder Lang for SOS". Mary Treder Lang for Secretary of State. February 11, 2018. Archived from the original on March 31, 2022. Retrieved April 27, 2018.
^ Egan, Paul (October 17, 2017). "Attorney Jocelyn Benson is first Democrat in race for Michigan Secretary of State". Detroit Free Press.
^ ^a ^b ^c Hotts, Mitch (October 18, 2017). "Macomb Dems to back Jocelyn Benson for secretary of state". The Macomb Daily. Archived from the original on October 19, 2017. Retrieved October 19, 2017.
^ ^a ^b ^c Joseph, Gina (October 18, 2017). "Jocelyn Benson racks up endorsements for Michigan secretary of state". The Macomb Daily. Archived from the original on October 26, 2017. Retrieved October 26, 2017.
^ Jacobson, Louis (June 4, 2018). "Secretary of State Races Are More Competitive and Important Than Ever". Governing. Retrieved September 22, 2019.
^ Glengariff Group
^ EPIC-MRA
^ Marketing Resource Group
^ Glengariff Group
^ EPIC-MRA
^ Glengariff Group
^ "Campaign finance data". Retrieved September 27, 2018.
^ "2018 Michigan Official General Election Results - 11/06/2018".

External links

Official campaign websites

[Key-13] Key:
A – all adults
RV – registered voters
LV – likely voters
V – unclear

[15] Gale (UTP) with 2%; Stempfle (L) with 2%

[17] Stempfle (L) with 3%; "Other party candidate" with 4%

[19] Stempfle (L) with 3%

[22] "Other party candidate" with 10%; Stempfle (L) with 3%

[Tonya-1] Gray, Kathleen (September 19, 2017). "2018 races getting crowded for attorney general, secretary of state". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved September 20, 2017.

[Nessel-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.

[Grot-3] Hotts, Mitch (August 20, 2017). "Shelby Township clerk Stan Grot to announce Secretary of State candidacy". Macomb Daily. Archived from the original on August 21, 2017. Retrieved August 21, 2017.

[MikeQuits-4] Oosting, Jonathan (September 21, 2017). "Kowall withdraws from Michigan SOS race". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved October 6, 2017.

[sgsos-5] "Endorsements". Stan Grot For Michigan SOS.^{[permanent dead link‍]}

[6] ttps://www.facebook.com/marytrederlangforsos/posts/820063224870554 ^{[user-generated source]}

[7] "Candice Miller endorses Mary Treder Lang for Secretary of State". Mary Treder Lang for Secretary of State. January 29, 2018.^{[permanent dead link‍]}

[8] "L. Brooks Patterson Endorses Mary Treder Lang for SOS". Mary Treder Lang for Secretary of State. February 11, 2018. Archived from the original on March 31, 2022. Retrieved April 27, 2018.

[9] Egan, Paul (October 17, 2017). "Attorney Jocelyn Benson is first Democrat in race for Michigan Secretary of State". Detroit Free Press.

[BENSON-10] Hotts, Mitch (October 18, 2017). "Macomb Dems to back Jocelyn Benson for secretary of state". The Macomb Daily. Archived from the original on October 19, 2017. Retrieved October 19, 2017.

[Gina-11] Joseph, Gina (October 18, 2017). "Jocelyn Benson racks up endorsements for Michigan secretary of state". The Macomb Daily. Archived from the original on October 26, 2017. Retrieved October 26, 2017.

[12] Jacobson, Louis (June 4, 2018). "Secretary of State Races Are More Competitive and Important Than Ever". Governing. Retrieved September 22, 2019.

[14] Glengariff Group

[16] EPIC-MRA

[18] Marketing Resource Group

[20] Glengariff Group

[21] EPIC-MRA

[23] Glengariff Group

[24] "Campaign finance data". Retrieved September 27, 2018.

[25] "2018 Michigan Official General Election Results - 11/06/2018".

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