Jocelyn Benson recall, Michigan Secretary of State (2024)

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  • 2024 year-end analysis
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  • 2023 mid-year analysis
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  • 2022 mid-year analysis
  • 2021 year-end analysis
  • 2021 mid-year analysis
  • 2020 year-end analysis
  • 2020 mid-year analysis
  • 2019 year-end analysis
  • 2019 mid-year analysis
  • 2018 year-end analysis
  • 2018 mid-year analysis
  • 2017 year-end analysis
  • 2017 mid-year analysis
  • 2016 year-end analysis
  • 2016 mid-year analysis

Jocelyn Benson recall
Officeholders
Jocelyn Benson (D)
Recall status
Did not go to a vote
Signature requirement
Signatures equal to 25% of voters in the last gubernatorial election in the electoral district
See also
Recall overview Political recall efforts, 2024 Recalls in Michigan Michigan recall laws State executive recalls Recall reports

An effort to recall Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson (D) was launched on January 2, 2024. The Michigan Board of State Canvassers met on January 19, 2024, to hold a clarity and factual hearing on the recall's petition language. The board rejected the recall petition for circulation because the reasons for the recall were not factual and lacked sufficient clarity.

Benson was elected as Michigan's secretary of state in 2018 with 52.9% of the vote. She was re-elected in 2022 with 55.9% of the vote.

Recall supporters

Chad E. Baase filed the recall petition against Benson on January 2, 2024. The recall petition listed the following reasons for recall:

“

Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson in her current term has enforced MCL 257.904 even though it has similar effects to slave licensing that puts restrictions on movement, acts to create subordination, and has potential for abuse. It likewise is similar to Black Codes due to vagueness, discriminatory application, and chilling effects on speech and conduct. Also similar to Jim Crow Laws as it creates an environment of economic discrimination, disenfranchisement, and social control. Jocelyn Benson procures half Michigan License Plates sold with laborers paid $0.45/hr

”

Recall opponents

As of January 2024, Ballotpedia did not identify a response to the recall petition from Jocelyn Benson.

Path to the ballot

See also: Laws governing recall in Michigan

Election history

2022

See also: Michigan Secretary of State election, 2022

General election

General election for Michigan Secretary of State

Incumbent Jocelyn Benson defeated Kristina Karamo, Gregory Stempfle, Christine Schwartz, and Larry Hutchinson Jr. in the general election for Michigan Secretary of State on November 8, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Jocelyn Benson (D)	55.9	2,467,859
		Kristina Karamo (R)	41.9	1,852,510
		Gregory Stempfle (L)	1.2	52,982
		Christine Schwartz (U.S. Taxpayers Party)	0.6	27,937
		Larry Hutchinson Jr. (G)	0.4	16,615

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 4,417,903
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic convention

Democratic convention for Michigan Secretary of State

Incumbent Jocelyn Benson advanced from the Democratic convention for Michigan Secretary of State on August 21, 2022.

		Candidate
✔		Jocelyn Benson (D)

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Republican convention

Republican convention for Michigan Secretary of State

Kristina Karamo defeated Cindy Berry, Beau LaFave, and Cathleen Postmus in the Republican convention for Michigan Secretary of State on August 27, 2022.

		Candidate
	Submit photo	Cindy Berry (R)
✔		Kristina Karamo (R)
		Beau LaFave (R)
	Submit photo	Cathleen Postmus (R)

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Green convention

Green convention for Michigan Secretary of State

Larry Hutchinson Jr. advanced from the Green convention for Michigan Secretary of State on April 23, 2022.

		Candidate
✔		Larry Hutchinson Jr. (G)

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Libertarian convention

Libertarian convention for Michigan Secretary of State

Gregory Stempfle advanced from the Libertarian convention for Michigan Secretary of State on July 10, 2022.

		Candidate
✔		Gregory Stempfle (L)

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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U.S. Taxpayers Party convention

U.S. Taxpayers Party convention for Michigan Secretary of State

Christine Schwartz advanced from the U.S. Taxpayers Party convention for Michigan Secretary of State on July 23, 2022.

		Candidate
✔		Christine Schwartz (U.S. Taxpayers Party)

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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2018

See also: Michigan Secretary of State election, 2018

General election

General election for Michigan Secretary of State

Jocelyn Benson defeated Mary Treder Lang, Gregory Scott Stemple, and Robert Gale in the general election for Michigan Secretary of State on November 6, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Jocelyn Benson (D)	52.9	2,213,243
		Mary Treder Lang (R)	44.0	1,840,118
	Submit photo	Gregory Scott Stemple (L)	2.0	81,849
	Submit photo	Robert Gale (U.S. Taxpayers Party)	1.2	48,816

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 4,184,026
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Recall context

See also: Ballotpedia's Recall Report

Ballotpedia covers recall efforts across the country for all state and local elected offices. A recall effort is considered official if the petitioning party has filed an official form, such as a notice of intent to recall, with the relevant election agency.

The chart below shows how many officials were included in recall efforts from 2012 to 2024 as well as how many of them defeated recall elections to stay in office and how many were removed from office in recall elections.