Jocelyn Benson
Democrat or Republican?
Jocelyn Benson is a Democrat.
Life + Career
Benson was born October 22nd in 1977 and grew up in Michigan. She earned her undergraduate degree from Wellesley College, where she also founded Women in American Political Activism conference, becoming the first student elected to Wellesley’s governing board. She then did her graduate study at Oxford University, with a law degree from Harvard Law School. She also founded Military Spouses of Michigan, co-founded Military Spouses of America, founded the State Bureau at iCivics, and served as the Dean of Wayne State University Law School. After all that, she was elected Michigan Secretary of State in 2018, re-elected in 2022, and now is term limited and cannot serve as Secretary of State any longer.
Key Policy Positions
Supports lowering the cost of living to help working families live and thrive in Michigan
Supports increasing the supply of affordable housing
Supports reducing healthcare costs
Supports expanding access to affordable childcare by making Rx Kids statewide and allowing qualified childcare providers to open and expand
Supports lower energy costs to ensure reliable, affordable service for Michigan residents
Supports transforming Michigan’s public schools into a top-performing system
Supports data center development only if they create well-paying jobs while protecting natural resources, involving local communities, maintaining affordable energy costs, and following clear environmental safeguards
Supports protecting Michigan’s environment
Supports sustainable economic growth
Supports ensuring natural resources are preserved for future generations
China
No specific positions.
Immigration
Benson is against the SAVE act.
Education
Benson proposes a 5-Pillar Education Plan.
The first pillar emphasizes a world-class education for every Michigan child. She wants to expand educational access and opportunities, strengthen student learning and achievement, and support students and families.
The second pillar emphasizes recruit, pay, and keeping great educators. She wants to successfully recruit the next generation of educators, support and retain educators, and protect and empower the education workforce.
The third pillar emphasizes starting strong from birth to pre-K. She wants to expand access to early learning, strengthen the early childhood workforce, and support young children and families.
The fourth pillar emphasizes funding schools equitably, efficiently, and transparently. She wants to modernize and protect school funding, invest in school infrastructure and operations, and expand student learning opportunities.
The fifth and final pillar emphasizes making the system work together. She wants to create a unified statewide education strategy, strengthen accountability and continuous improvement, and ensure a future-ready education system.
Healthcare
Benson proposes an Affordability Agenda.
The first part of this agenda is lowering healthcare costs by fighting unfair medical bills, creating an independent Prescription Drug Affordability Board, and passing a $5,000 caregiver tax credit.
The second part of this agenda is protecting patients and improving access to care by cracking down on insurance companies who deny care prescribed by doctors, bringing care directly to communities, and ensuring every Michigan mother has the support she needs, regardless of race of income.
The third and last part of this agenda is strengthening Michigan’s healthcare system through supporting healthcare workforce development.
Tax
Benson has a few policy themes.
The first theme is homeownership and housing affordability. This includes offering a tax credit for families who are ready to purchase homes but are struggling to save enough, expanding the Michigan Homestead Property Tax Credit, and banning private equity and large investors from buying single-family homes in the first 100 days they’re on the market.
The second theme is renters and rental housing. This includes expanding rental assistance for families struggling with costs and tracking short-term rentals like Airbnbs and tax them to fund local issues, while still allowing municipalities to regulate or ban those rentals.
The third and last theme is government efficiency and fiscal responsibility. This includes finding efficiencies in the government to cut costs and free revenue without requiring tax hikes or reductions in service.
Safety
Benson supports resources for older drivers and says she will stand up against anyone no matter who they are to protect the will, safety, rights, and freedoms of the people.
Criticisms
Although Benson is against the SAVE act, it has been pointed out that there was a case in October of 2024 (under Benson’s office) where a U of M student from China cast an illegal ballot in Washtenaw County using his student ID.
As Benson is the current Secretary of State while also a candidate for Governor, there have been a few questions on whether the Governor race would be done fairly. In response, Benson has established firewall policies, saying that there would be no conflicts of interest between her role as Secretary of State and candidate for Governor.
John James, another 2026 Michigan Governor candidate, has also alleged election irregularities and questioned the legitimacy of aspects of the 2020 election (which was under Benson’s office).
Sources: michwomen.com/blog/2026-candidates-for-michigan-governor, michigannewssource.com/2026/05/sos-jocelyn-benson-promises-election-firewall-while-running-for-governor, michigan.gov/sos/resources/news/2025/02/27/its-a-trick-secretary-benson-calls-on-congress-to-stop-the-save-act, themidwesterner.news/2025/08/jocelyn-benson-refuses-to-give-info-about-illegal-2024-voters-so-a-washtenaw-county-resident-is-suing, jocelynbenson.com/benson-education-plan.pdf, jocelynbenson.com/affordability-agenda-healthcare.pdf, jocelynbenson.com/affordability-agenda-housing.pdf, bridgemi.com/michigan-government/governor-hopefuls-pitch-economic-plans-from-tax-cuts-to-arts-and-culture, michigan.gov/sos/resources/news/2024/12/02/secretary-benson-shares-resources-for-national-older-driver-safety-awareness-week, jocelynbenson.com/news/watch-benson-fight-safe-secure-elections-in-face-threats
