Jocelyn Benson

Jocelyn Benson earned a bachelor's degree from Wellesley College, a graduate degree from the University of Oxford, and a law degree from Harvard Law School.

In the midst of studying for her bachelor's degree at Wellesley College, Benson founded the Women in American Political Activism conference and was the first student to be elected to serve in the governing body for the town of Wellesley, Massachusetts. She worked as a summer associate for the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund as well as serving as a legal assistant to American legal affairs correspondent Nina Totenberg at National Public Radio (NPR). Prior to graduating from law school, Benson worked as general editor of the Harvard Civil Rights-Civil Liberties Law Review, a legal scholarship publication. Prior to entering law school, Benson lived in Montgomery, Alabama, and worked for the Southern Poverty Law Center.[1][2][3]

Benson served as a law clerk to the Honorable Damon J. Keith, a justice for the United States Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit. She was hired by the Democratic National Committee (DNC) in 2004 to develop its first nationwide Election Protection program, which gave the authority to select, recruit, and train its Voter Protection coordinators in twenty-one states, and to deploy over 17,000 trained election law attorneys in the midst of the 2004 presidential election. Benson developed similar efforts on behalf of the Michigan Democratic Party from 2006 to 2008. In her testimony before the United States House Judiciary Committee in after the 2008 presidential election, she advocated for a ban on the use of foreclosure lists as a means to challenge a voter's eligibility on election days.

She served as an associate professor and associate director of Wayne Law’s Damon J. Keith Center for Civil Rights, and later as the dean of Wayne State University Law School. She is also the author of State Secretaries of State: Guardians of the Democratic Process.[4]

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I’m running for governor to make sure government shows up when you need it, saves you time and money, and gets out of the way. That’s exactly what I did as Secretary of State, overseeing one of our state’s most important agencies, and that’s what I’ll do as governor. It’s personal to me because I'm a mom of a 10-year-old kid and in this next decade, he's going to decide what to do with his future. The work we do over the next ten years will define his future. I want Michigan to be the place he chooses to call home. But now, people are struggling to pay for childcare, find good-paying jobs, and buy a home. No family should have to choose between paying for groceries or heating their home. As governor I’ll fight to build a Michigan we all can afford and protect your safety and freedoms.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

As governor, lowering costs will be a top priority. Everywhere I go in Michigan, it’s clear that people are struggling to pay for childcare, pay for groceries, and buy a home, as the cost of everything continues to skyrocket and government feels too much like an obstacle. I've run one of our state’s most important agencies, saving residents time, saving them money, making their lives easier. Making government work for you and bringing costs down will always be a priority for a Benson administration.As we work to bring costs down, raising wages will be equally important. As Secretary of State, I know how to make sure state government shows up when you need it. As governor, I will stand up for working people and fight to increase access to well paying jobs.As governor, I will be the first line of defense to ensure every Michigander’s rights and safety are protected. I want Michigan to be the best state in the nation to call home, so my priority as governor will always be protecting your safety and your freedoms. I'll work with anyone to get that done, and I'll take on anyone who gets in the way.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Everywhere I go in Michigan, I hear stories about the struggles families are enduring as costs continue to skyrocket. Moms are having to choose between whether to eat or pay rent. Seniors are anxious about covering the rising cost of their prescriptions on a fixed income. My affordability agenda details how we can streamline government to provide more support for everyone struggling to make ends meet in this economy, and in my first days in office I will begin putting this plan into motion.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

I’ve spent the last 18 months building a broad, statewide coalition to win in November. This growing coalition of state and local leaders, nonprofits, and advocacy organizations supporting my campaign to be Michigan’s next governor includes six major statewide labor unions, over 40 state legislators, and dozens of local leaders, faith leaders, and community organizers across the state, among others. You can find a full list of endorsements here: https://www.jocelynbenson.com/endorsements.

Campaign websitesBenson's campaign website stated the following:AffordabilityMichigan created the middle class and put the world on wheels. We pride ourselves on our innovation, our resilience, and our hardworking communities. But as I listen to people around our state, it's clear that too many families are struggling to make ends meet. And too often, government is showing up everywhere we don't need it and nowhere where we do.Take the rising cost of housing as an example. I've met with families across Michigan who are being priced out of their own neighborhoods, young people who can't afford their first home, and seniors on fixed incomes facing skyrocketing property taxes. As a working mother, I understand what it means to balance a household budget and worry about whether you can afford to stay in the community you love. It's past time we root out the corruption and inefficiency holding us back and build a government that truly works for people—a government that makes life more affordable for families, from housing to healthcare to childcare.My Affordable Michigan agenda will tackle the costs hitting families hardest. I will work to increase housing availability and affordability by streamlining regulations that slow down construction, incentivizing development of starter homes and affordable units, and cracking down on corporate investors who buy up properties and drive up rents. I will fight to lower healthcare costs by increasing transparency in medical billing, passing a $5,000 caregiver tax credit, and ensuring that pharmaceutical companies can't price gouge Michigan families. And I will make childcare more accessible and affordable by bringing Rx Kids statewide and removing barriers that prevent qualified providers from opening their doors.From the grocery store to the gas pump, from the doctor's office to the housing market, I will work constantly as your governor to bring down costs and protect families from corporate greed. I know what it takes to fix broken systems because I've done it before. Now I'm ready to do that across all of state government, ensuring everyone who works hard can afford to live, thrive, and build a future right here in Michigan.HousingNo matter what city I'm in or what event I'm attending, housing is the number one issue people bring up. In places like Traverse City, where the average cost of a house is creeping into the millions, farmers can't find a place to live and raise their families. In larger cities like Detroit, rent costs are out of control and families who have lived in the city for generations are being priced out. This is not conducive to a Michigan where everyone can thrive.Michigan's housing market is under strain. Rents are rising faster than wages, first-time homebuyers are being locked out of the market, and seniors are struggling to remain in the communities they've called home for decades. In rural areas, housing shortages limit job growth. In cities, neglected properties and speculative investors drive up costs without creating stability.At the root of the problem? A broken system that lets corporate investors and out-of-state speculators treat Michigan homes like commodities instead of communities. Wall Street landlords buy up properties, driving prices through the roof while housing sits vacant or gets converted into short-term rentals that don't serve local families. Meanwhile, decades of underinvestment combined with outdated zoning regulations and bureaucratic red tape have created a perfect storm where working families simply can't find or afford a place to call home.We need a comprehensive approach that treats housing as both an economic driver and a basic necessity. That means building more homes, faster. As Secretary of State, I cut through red tape and transformed an office people dreaded into one they praise for its efficiency. As governor, I'll do the same for our housing processes.Housing is the foundation for economic security, community growth, and Michigan's future. As Governor, I will make it a top priority.Read the full housing affordability agenda here.HealthcareHealthcare should be a right, not a privilege. With all of the chaos, corruption, and confusion emerging from Washington, D.C. — where elected officials are ripping away Medicaid for hundreds of thousands of people, women's health care is under attack, and many Michiganders have to travel across multiple counties just to get to their doctor, a Democratic Governor in Michigan will be the last line of defense against the failings at the federal level. But I don't just want to be on defense. I want to make sure Michigan knows I have their back when it comes to getting them the quality, affordable care they need.Here's the truth: Michigan's Department of Health and Human Services is broken. The system is too complicated, too outdated, and too disconnected from the people it's supposed to serve. Before we can build something better, we have to fix what's broken. That starts with making sure people seeking resources can actually access them from our government. Just as I fixed a broken system as Secretary of State and took our elections from #31 to #2 in the nation, I'll bring the same data-driven ethic to our broken healthcare system.But the problem runs even deeper than federal cuts. Our healthcare system has been corrupted by corporate greed, with too many decisions being made by CEOs and investors instead of doctors and patients. We need to shift the focus from profits to people. That corruption shows up in the privatization schemes and price gouging that have driven up costs for Michigan families, forcing them to make impossible decisions about when they can find a provider and what health issues they can afford to address. It shows up in sky-high prescription drug costs that prevent people from completing their treatments, and in surprise medical bills that bankrupt families who thought they were doing everything right.As Governor, I'll fight back. I'll work to increase options for low or no-cost preventive healthcare services across Michigan, because when people can get timely treatment, they address health issues before they become emergencies — saving lives and reducing costs. I'll push for real transparency and accountability in prescription drug pricing through an independent Prescription Drug Affordability Board with the authority to review manufacturing practices and approve price increases. And I'll champion healthcare cost transparency legislation to end the surprise billing that makes even routine procedures unaffordable, while expanding medical debt relief for the thousands of Michiganders crushed by expenses they never saw comingRead the full healthcare affordability agenda here.ChildcareWe have a childcare affordability crisis in Michigan. Some parents are stuck on waiting lists for months; others are paying more for care than their mortgage. And too often, women are pushed out of the workforce because affordable, reliable care simply doesn't exist. As a working mom and public servant, I understand the stress, the tradeoffs, and the urgency families feel every single day.The crisis runs deeper than most people realize. Right now, childcare workers earn poverty wages while doing some of the most important work there is — and they're leaving the field in droves. We can't build a stable system on an unstable workforce. When the people caring for our youngest children can't afford childcare for their own kids, can't pay rent on their salaries, and have no clear career pathway, the whole system collapses. That's why waiting lists keep growing, and costs keep climbing. We simply don't have enough providers because we've failed to treat early childhood education as the dignified profession it is. We can and must build a system that supports children's development, respects working parents, and provides every child a strong start from day one.Imagine a Michigan where every family has access to next-generation early learning and care that's affordable, reliable, and built to last. That's the future I'm ready to deliver.Energy CostsEvery day I hear stories of people struggling with rising energy costs. Single parents worry about facing an electricity shutoff and choosing which bill to pay. Families who have to throw out the contents of their refrigerator or find a hotel room when the power goes out for days on end. Utility companies ask for rate increases while Michiganders wonder where the money they are putting aside to pay these skyrocketing bills is going. Will it eliminate outages and modernize our energy grid? Or is it only going to increase the profits of corporations and CEOs?As governor I will use every tool available to me to bring our energy costs down.That starts with reforming a broken system where too many politicians are more beholden to the corporations funding their campaigns than the mom who’s trying to buy groceries and pay her electric bill at the same time.That’s why as a candidate for governor I will not take campaign contributions from energy companies and other corporate PACs. Because Michigan families need a governor who works for them.Read the full energy affordability agenda here.EducationMichigan's next governor has a moral responsibility to transform our public schools — for our kids, our economy, and our future. As the daughter of two public school teachers who taught special education, a mom ,and a former educator myself, this is personal. I know what's at stake for Michigan families — and I'm ready to lead with the urgency this moment demands.My plan is clear, focused, comprehensive and bold. It is rooted in tangible actions and goals that are data-driven and results-focused. Together I will work with our educators, parents, and students to build and implement lasting change to ensure Michigan’s public school system truly prepares our young people for jobs of the future and the world they will one day lead. This plan is ambitious because the stakes are high. Our future economy, workforce, communities, and democracy depend on whether we are willing to build a truly world-class public education system for every child in Michigan.And while Michigan has a strong history of chasing new and shiny policy one-offs, all of which have fallen flat, and led to a notion that the goal posts are being moved regularly; much to the chagrin of those being asked to teach around them. Establishing a vision that is benchmarked to a world-class North Star and utilizing this to align practices and hold ourselves accountable to them, will give Michigan a consistent and best-in-class trajectory.Read the full education agenda here.Data CentersWhile other states have built data centers that raised costs for residents and hurt communities, Jocelyn Benson has been clear that any data center built in Michigan needs to do right by Michiganders – that means creating well-paying union jobs while protecting natural resources and lowering energy costs.In Jocelyn’s own words: “data centers [can] come to Michigan only if they can improve and deliver prosperity, well-paying union jobs, and affordable, low energy costs for our residents.” As governor, Jocelyn will implement checks and guardrails to shape projects and ensure a transparent process approving any new projects. With clear standards and enforceable requirements, Michigan can invest in growing the jobs of the future while embracing opportunities to support our clean-energy and power grid buildout. Data centers and corporations that violate these guardrails will not be able to operate in Michigan. The enforceable requirements will mandate: Public hearings to ensure projects do not go through without residents having the opportunity to share their concerns. Transparency and disclosure reporting to ensure no backdoor deals that exclude communities. Requiring developers to prove prior to construction that the data center will not abuse natural resources – from water to land.Data Centers bear the cost of additional energy usage. Not the consumer. Union contracts that ensure the creation of well-paying jobs.EnvironmentI love Michigan. From running on our miles of trails to swimming in our Great Lakes, to getting engaged on Isle Royale and then married on Belle Isle – I know the abundant natural beauty of our state is among our greatest strengths. But protecting Michigan's natural resources isn't only about preserving what we have. It's about building the future we deserve.Michigan is home to twenty percent of the world's fresh surface water. It's one of our most unique advantages and preserving it is one of our most profound responsibilities. 15 million people in the Great Lakes region get their drinking water from the Great Lakes, while our recreational and northern Michigan economy is reliant on clean, resilient fresh water in those lakes. And in this era of rapid climate change, protecting our water, air, and natural resources preserves what makes Michigan special and ensures it is a safe, healthy home for all of us — for generations to come.Caring for our environment, protecting human health, creating good-paying jobs, and lowering costs for Michigan families aren't competing priorities. They're the same fight. Clean, renewable energy is the cheapest form of energy. When we invest in clean energy, we lower utility bills. When we hold polluters accountable, we protect the drinking water families depend on. When we lead in clean manufacturing, we create the union jobs that keep Michigan's economy strong. Every choice we make about our natural resources is a choice about what kind of state we're building — and who it's built for. If we make the right choices now, we can leave the next generation a Michigan that's more affordable, prosperous, cleaner, safer, and stronger than the one we inherited.I am the only candidate for governor who is unabashedly championing these issues so Michigan can continue to be the beautiful place we call home for generations to come.Read the full environmental agenda here.— Jocelyn Benson's campaign website (August 17, 2026)Benson's campaign website stated the following:Jocelyn's Top PrioritiesAffordabilityMichigan created the middle class and put the world on wheels. We pride ourselves on our innovation, our resilience, and our hardworking communities. But as I listen to people around our state, it's clear that too many families are struggling to make ends meet. And too often, government is showing up everywhere we don't need it and nowhere where we do.Take the rising cost of housing as an example. I've met with families across Michigan who are being priced out of their own neighborhoods, young people who can't afford their first home, and seniors on fixed incomes facing skyrocketing property taxes. As a working mother, I understand what it means to balance a household budget and worry about whether you can afford to stay in the community you love. It's past time we root out the corruption and inefficiency holding us back and build a government that truly works for people—a government that makes life more affordable for families, from housing to healthcare to childcare.My Affordable Michigan agenda will tackle the costs hitting families hardest. I will work to increase housing availability and affordability by streamlining regulations that slow down construction, incentivizing development of starter homes and affordable units, and cracking down on corporate investors who buy up properties and drive up rents. I will fight to lower healthcare costs by increasing transparency in medical billing, passing a $5,000 caregiver tax credit, and ensuring that pharmaceutical companies can't price gouge Michigan families. And I will make childcare more accessible and affordable by bringing Rx Kids statewide and removing barriers that prevent qualified providers from opening their doors.From the grocery store to the gas pump, from the doctor's office to the housing market, I will work constantly as your governor to bring down costs and protect families from corporate greed. I know what it takes to fix broken systems because I've done it before. Now I'm ready to do that across all of state government, ensuring everyone who works hard can afford to live, thrive, and build a future right here in Michigan.HousingNo matter what city I'm in or what event I'm attending, housing is the number one issue people bring up. In places like Traverse City, where the average cost of a house is creeping into the millions, farmers can't find a place to live and raise their families. In larger cities like Detroit, rent costs are out of control and families who have lived in the city for generations are being priced out. This is not conducive to a Michigan where everyone can thrive.Michigan's housing market is under strain. Rents are rising faster than wages, first-time homebuyers are being locked out of the market, and seniors are struggling to remain in the communities they've called home for decades. In rural areas, housing shortages limit job growth. In cities, neglected properties and speculative investors drive up costs without creating stability.At the root of the problem? A broken system that lets corporate investors and out-of-state speculators treat Michigan homes like commodities instead of communities. Wall Street landlords buy up properties, driving prices through the roof while housing sits vacant or gets converted into short-term rentals that don't serve local families. Meanwhile, decades of underinvestment combined with outdated zoning regulations and bureaucratic red tape have created a perfect storm where working families simply can't find or afford a place to call home.We need a comprehensive approach that treats housing as both an economic driver and a basic necessity. That means building more homes, faster. As Secretary of State, I cut through red tape and transformed an office people dreaded into one they praise for its efficiency. As governor, I'll do the same for our housing processes.Housing is the foundation for economic security, community growth, and Michigan's future. As Governor, I will make it a top priority.Read the full housing affordability agenda here.HealthcareHealthcare should be a right, not a privilege. With all of the chaos, corruption, and confusion emerging from Washington, D.C. — where elected officials are ripping away Medicaid for hundreds of thousands of people, women's health care is under attack, and many Michiganders have to travel across multiple counties just to get to their doctor, a Democratic Governor in Michigan will be the last line of defense against the failings at the federal level. But I don't just want to be on defense. I want to make sure Michigan knows I have their back when it comes to getting them the quality, affordable care they need.Here's the truth: Michigan's Department of Health and Human Services is broken. The system is too complicated, too outdated, and too disconnected from the people it's supposed to serve. Before we can build something better, we have to fix what's broken. That starts with making sure people seeking resources can actually access them from our government. Just as I fixed a broken system as Secretary of State and took our elections from #31 to #2 in the nation, I'll bring the same data-driven ethic to our broken healthcare system.But the problem runs even deeper than federal cuts. Our healthcare system has been corrupted by corporate greed, with too many decisions being made by CEOs and investors instead of doctors and patients. We need to shift the focus from profits to people. That corruption shows up in the privatization schemes and price gouging that have driven up costs for Michigan families, forcing them to make impossible decisions about when they can find a provider and what health issues they can afford to address. It shows up in sky-high prescription drug costs that prevent people from completing their treatments, and in surprise medical bills that bankrupt families who thought they were doing everything right.As Governor, I'll fight back. I'll work to increase options for low or no-cost preventive healthcare services across Michigan, because when people can get timely treatment, they address health issues before they become emergencies — saving lives and reducing costs. I'll push for real transparency and accountability in prescription drug pricing through an independent Prescription Drug Affordability Board with the authority to review manufacturing practices and approve price increases. And I'll champion healthcare cost transparency legislation to end the surprise billing that makes even routine procedures unaffordable, while expanding medical debt relief for the thousands of Michiganders crushed by expenses they never saw comingRead the full healthcare affordability agenda here.ChildcareWe have a childcare affordability crisis in Michigan. Some parents are stuck on waiting lists for months; others are paying more for care than their mortgage. And too often, women are pushed out of the workforce because affordable, reliable care simply doesn't exist. As a working mom and public servant, I understand the stress, the tradeoffs, and the urgency families feel every single day.The crisis runs deeper than most people realize. Right now, childcare workers earn poverty wages while doing some of the most important work there is — and they're leaving the field in droves. We can't build a stable system on an unstable workforce. When the people caring for our youngest children can't afford childcare for their own kids, can't pay rent on their salaries, and have no clear career pathway, the whole system collapses. That's why waiting lists keep growing, and costs keep climbing. We simply don't have enough providers because we've failed to treat early childhood education as the dignified profession it is. We can and must build a system that supports children's development, respects working parents, and provides every child a strong start from day one.Imagine a Michigan where every family has access to next-generation early learning and care that's affordable, reliable, and built to last. That's the future I'm ready to deliver.Energy CostsEvery day I hear stories of people struggling with rising energy costs.  Single parents worry about facing an electricity shutoff and choosing which bill to pay. Families who have to throw out the contents of their refrigerator or find a hotel room when the power goes out for days on end. Utility companies ask for rate increases while Michiganders wonder where the money they are putting aside to pay these skyrocketing bills is going.  Will it eliminate outages and modernize our energy grid? Or is it only going to increase the profits of corporations and CEOs?As governor I will use every tool available to me to bring our energy costs down.That starts with reforming a broken system where too many politicians are more beholden to the corporations funding their campaigns than the mom who’s trying to buy groceries and pay her electric bill at the same time.That’s why as a candidate for governor I will not take campaign contributions from energy companies and other corporate PACs. Because Michigan families need a governor who works for them.Read the full energy affordability agenda here.— Jocelyn Benson's campaign website (May 28, 2026)Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.

Campaign ads

"Fair Shot" – Benson campaign ad, released January 22, 2025

View more ads here:

YouTube

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Campaign website

Benson's campaign website stated the following:

Benson’s Plan For Secretary Of State

“The people of Michigan deserve a Secretary of State who works as hard as they do. No one should have to spend more than 30 minutes to renew their drivers license, register their vehicle or cast a ballot. We need to show the hardworking people of Michigan that their time matters. They have the right to demand results and we are prepared to deliver them.”

THE “30-MINUTE GUARANTEE”

Benson will work to establish a 30-Minute Guarantee: an expectation that no one, no matter where they live, should have to wait more than 30 minutes to renew their driver’s license, register their vehicle or cast a ballot.

BAN FEE INCREASES

Benson will be an advocate against fee increases that have hit Michigan families hard in recent years. When it comes to pocketbook issues, she has a proven track record. As dean of the Wayne State University Law School, she froze tuition and significantly increased scholarship funding to make law school more affordable and accessible to all students.

ELECTION SECURITY

Benson’s vision is to make Michigan a national model in election security. She will ensure that voting remains a sacred right and that every legitimate vote is counted. Benson, who has developed and supervised three election protection efforts in Michigan, will toughen penalties for those who commit election fraud and voter intimidation. And she will lead an effort to protect our elections from the threat of computer hacking, tampering, and manipulation.

PROTECTING VOTING RIGHTS

Benson will work to ensure the voting rights of every citizen are protected. Voters should be able to vote early or by absentee ballot without having to give a reason, just as they do in dozens of other states. As Secretary of State, Benson will ensure voters who want to cast a ballot can do so with ease, and without intimidation.

ETHICS AND TRANSPARENCY

Among the 50 states, Michigan is dead last in government transparency and accountability. Benson will champion reforms that will make Michigan one of the best states in the nation, shining a light on the secret money flowing into our election process by requiring instant disclosure of all political and lobbying money.

“For too long, our voices have been overshadowed by special interests. People deserve a state government that is transpare