Democrat Barb Byrum launches campaign to become Michigan Secretary of State
Byrum, who was elected clerk in Ingham County in 2012 and spent six years as a lawmaker in the Michigan House of Representatives before that, said she's well suited to become Michigan's top election official because of her experience overseeing elections, as well as being a vocal proponent of election workers amid increased scrutiny on voting security nationwide.
"I'm not afraid to go toe-to-toe to stand up for elections," Byrum, 47, said in a Tuesday interview with the Free Press ahead of her announcement.
Byrum becomes the second Democrat to formally enter the race for secretary of state, which Michigan voters will vote for next November. Aghogho Edevbie, who is currently deputy secretary of state, announced in January he would seek the state's top elections role. Current Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson is term-limited under state law and cannot run for the position again in 2026. Benson has launched a campaign to become Michigan's next governor.
Online campaign finance records show Byrum formed a committee to run for secretary of state on May 15. She said she had been encouraged to run for the position.
Along with overseeing elections in Michigan, the secretary of state's office is also responsible for handling things like driver's license and state ID distribution, vehicle title registrations and renewals and more. Byrum said she hopes to ensure Michigan residents don't have to deal with long wait times at branch offices and are able to easily get appointments there, something she commended Benson for.
"People know me," she said. "I've been around for decades and I'm going to continue to be around."
Some Republicans in the state Legislature have been critical of how Michigan's elections have been run under Benson, a Democrat. Byrum said she's willing to correct the record on election misinformation, regardless of the party it originates from, saying "elections are not a partisan issue."
"When they're attacking our elections, they're attacking our democracy," she added.
Byrum is the daughter of former Michigan lawmaker and Michigan State University Trustee Dianne Byrum. She also owns a hardware store in Charlotte.
Secretary of state is one of several statewide positions up for election next year. Voters in Michigan will also elect a new governor and attorney general, and decide on races for the U.S. Senate and two seats on the Michigan Supreme Court during the November 2026 election.
So far, no Republican candidates have formally announced they are seeking to become secretary of state next year. Unlike some other statewide positions, party nominations for secretary of state and attorney general are made at each party's nominating convention ahead of the election.
Contact Arpan Lobo: alobo@freepress.com
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Barb Byrum will run for Michigan Secretary of State
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