Garlin Gilchrist II
Democrat or Republican?
Garlin Gilchrist II is a Democrat.
Life + Career
Gilchrist was born September 25th in 1982 and grew up in metro Detroit. He graduated from University of Michigan and worked as a software engineer at Microsoft. He also served as the City of Detroit’s Director of Innovation, where he created the Improve Detroit app. Then, he unsuccessfully ran for Detroit City Clerk in 2017, losing to Clerk Janice Winfrey by less than 1,500 votes. And since 2019, Gilchrist has been the Lieutenant Governor of Michigan under Governor Gretchen Whitmer. In 2026, he ran briefly for Governor before switching to the Secretary of State race in January.
Key Policy Positions
Supports protecting voter data and privacy from the federal government and Big Tech companies
Supports modernizing licensing, registration, and branch-office services statewide
Supports holding companies accountable for auto repair scams
Supports preserving state control over Michigan’s elections
Supports holding noncitizens who vote accountable while saying documented cases of noncitizen voting are rare
Supports campaign finance reform legislation
China
No specific positions.
Immigration
Gilchrist criticizes ICE enforcement actions. He is against many of President Trump’s immigration policies, such as expanded immigration enforcement and deportation efforts.
Education
Gilchrist supports software/technology careers.
Gilchrist also supports college affordability and tuition-free pathways. This includes things such as the Michigan Reconnect program, the Michigan Achievement Scholarship, and having student loan debt forgiveness from the federal government continue to be available tax-free in Michigan.
Healthcare
Gilchrist supports Medicaid and wants medical workers to get implicit bias training.
Tax
Gilchrist supports higher taxes on wealthy Americans but supports tax cuts for working families and retirees. As Lieutenant Governor, he backed the repeal of Michigan's retirement tax and expansion of the Working Families Tax Credit.
Safety
Gilchrist is against political violence and gun violence. He supports temporarily removing firearms from individuals deemed a danger to themselves or others.
Gilchrist also believes that the Secretary of State should protect residents’ personal data from misuse by both private technology companies and the federal government.
Criticisms
Gilchrist has criticized Anthony Forlini, a fellow 2026 Secretary of State candidate. Gilchrist has described Forlini as a “MAGA extremist” who would “weaponize voters’ private data.” In response, Forlini compared Gilchrist’s Senate session attendance record to his own record as a state representative, where he had a higher attendance record. However, whether the comparison is meaningful is disputed as Michigan Lieutenant Governors typically only attend Senate sessions when needed.
Sources: michwomen.com/blog/michigan-secretary-of-state-race-2026-voter-guide,michiganadvance.com/2026/04/25/hundreds-protest-in-romulus-against-proposal-to-convert-warehouse-into-ice-detention-center, michigan.gov/whitmer/news/press-releases/2021/09/09/lt--gov--gilchrist-brings-statewide-sixty-by-30-talent-tour-virtually-to-detroit-metro-region, michigan.gov/whitmer/news/press-releases/2022/07/14/gilchrist-highlights-investment-to-help-students-overcome-barriers-to-higher-education, michigan.gov/whitmer/news/press-releases/2022/08/11/gilchrist-highlights-expansion-of-michigan-reconnect-program, michigan.gov/whitmer/news/press-releases/2022/09/28/whitmer-announces-tax-free-public-service-loan-forgiveness, michigan.gov/whitmer/news/press-releases/2025/04/16/whitmer-signs-executive-directive-to-identify-impact-of-federal-medicaid-cuts, michigan.gov/whitmer/news/press-releases/2021/06/01/governor-gretchen-whitmer-and-lara-announce-adopted-training-requirement-to-improve-equity-across-m, ontheissues.org/Garlin_Gilchrist.htm, michigan.gov/whitmer/news/press-releases/2025/06/25/whitmer-highlights-report-finding-republican-tax-tariff-plans-will-cost-workers-hundreds-of-dollars, content.govdelivery.com/accounts/MIEOG/bulletins/3f6165f, michigan.gov/whitmer/news/press-releases/2025/09/11/gilchrist-releases-statement-on-bomb-threat-at-residence, michigan.gov/whitmer/news/press-releases/2024/08/06/lt-governor-gilchrist-announces-operation-safe-neighborhoods, clickondetroit.com/news/local/2026/01/13/michigan-lt-gov-garlin-gilchrist-ends-governor-bid-launches-secretary-of-state-campaign, michiganadvance.com/2026/01/19/gilchrist-defends-switch-to-michigan-secretary-of-state-race-amid-criticism-gaza-apology-at-forum
