Barb Byrum, the current Ingham County Clerk, has announced her candidacy for Michigan Secretary of State in the 2026 election. The position will be open due to term limits on current officeholder Jocelyn Benson. Byrum has overseen 40 elections in her current role and previously served six years in the state legislature. In 2014, she also took a public stance in support of same-sex marriage during a key period, as reported by CBS News Detroit.
With her announcement, Byrum emphasized her commitment to ensuring fair and accessible elections, stating, "I believe elections should be fair, secure and accessible for voters today and in future generations, and that Michiganders deserve an exceptional customer service experience at every Secretary of State office," a declaration she made which was cited by CBS News Detroit. As she enters the race, Barb Byrum will face competition from Deputy Secretary of State Aghogho Edevbie, who has also declared his candidacy. The announcements mark the beginning of a contested campaign for the state office.
Byrum's experience includes her role as Ingham County Clerk, where she has overseen election operations and engaged in voter rights advocacy. Her responsibilities gained particular attention following the 2020 election cycle, during which unverified election-related claims circulated widely. She has publicly opposed efforts that challenge established democratic processes, as detailed by Michigan Advance. "I fight back against those who would seek to make it harder to vote and those who attack our democratic process because our democracy is worth fighting for," Byrum stated firmly, pinpointing her stance on the broader state and national conversation about election integrity.
Her campaign announcement was underlined by an endorsement from Genesee County Clerk-Register Domonique Clemons, who praised Byrum's expertise and readiness to support other clerks, emphasizing her role as "a vocal advocate for voter rights and election integrity," according to his statement obtained by Michigan Advance. Notably, Michigan follows a different path in nominating candidates for secretary of state and attorney general, where the parties nominate at their state conventions rather than through primaries, thus the Democratic Party will be nominating its secretary of state candidate at the spring 2026 convention, which may just be the next milestone on Byrum’s road to potentially taking on the stewardship of Michigan’s elections.
