Forlini and Gilchrist Clash Over Voter Roll Privacy

Republican Anthony Forlini and Democrat Garlin Gilchrist are competing for the office of Michigan Secretary of State in the upcoming November election. During an October 8 debate in Ann Arbor, the candidates revealed sharp divisions over a legal dispute with the U.S. Department of Justice regarding access to unredacted voter rolls.

Gilchrist refuses to provide the data to the federal government, citing the need to protect voter privacy. Forlini expressed openness to collaborating with federal authorities to identify and remove noncitizens from the rolls. On election transparency, Forlini advocates for the use of the Ballot Verifier and the retention of more electronic pollbook data, while Gilchrist proposes voter education initiatives to combat conspiracy theories and misinformation.

Despite these disagreements, both candidates agree on the necessity of modernizing the Michigan Transparency Network campaign finance platform. They also support improving vehicle services at state offices, specifically by expanding walk-in access for residents.