By Lily Guiney
Gongwer New Service
Macomb County Clerk Anthony Forlini is jumping into the race for the 2026 Republican secretary of state nomination, he announced Wednesday.
The two-term clerk, elected first in 2020, is the first candidate with experience working in election administration to launch a campaign on the Republican side. He'll face Oakland County parental rights activist and business owner Monica Yatooma, Republican political operative and Clarkston Community Schools board member Amanda Love and Timothy Smith of Zeeland.
"Michigan citizens want to know their vote counts and that the process is run with transparency, credibility and accountability," Forlini said in a statement. "They want their licenses renewed in a timely manner. They want to know that someone who leads the Bureau of Elections is committed to the rule of law, due process and someone who knows how to make government work for them. I am their man."
Forlini had been expected to start a campaign for some time. His presence in the primary field is likely a comfort to party delegates who hoped to see an experienced heavy-hitter join the race – Forlini served in the House prior to his time as clerk – and serves as an answer to the question of whether any familiar Republican names might be on the ballot for secretary of state in 2026.
Forlini's name recognition and elections experience lends heft to his campaign, but he could face objections from his party's right flank over issues of the 2020 election's validity – Forlini commissioned a forensic audit of Macomb County's 2020 results at the behest of members of the public who believed tampering had taken place, but stood by the independent auditors when they found no evidence of fraud or other misconduct. He hasn't espoused the belief that the 2020 presidential election was stolen or subject to manipulation from Democrats, which could put him at odds with a subset of delegates come convention time next year.
Regardless of his views on the security of the 2020 election itself, Forlini emphasized his commitment to security and transparency in his campaign announcement. He outlined measures he took as a clerk to boost public confidence in elections, including turning off modems in proximity to ballot transmission machines to prevent remote hacking, introducing tabulator scanning to ease FOIA requests and mandating watermarked ballots in Macomb County.
Forlini's announcement came with a first endorsement as well, from Macomb County Drain Commissioner and former Secretary of State Candice Miller.
"I am proud to endorse Anthony Forlini for Michigan secretary of state. He will bring the hallmark qualities of integrity and transparency to our election process," Miller said in a statement. "He will also bring his record of administrative professionalism and customer service to the branch offices. Michigan would be well served with Anthony Forlini as Michigan's next Secretary of State."
Despite not having declared a candidacy yet, Forlini received 14.3% of the vote via write-ins in a straw poll of attendees at the Mackinac Republican Leadership Conference this past weekend, coming in third place behind Yatooma and Love, both of whom attended the conference.
Gongwer New Service
Macomb County Clerk Anthony Forlini is jumping into the race for the 2026 Republican secretary of state nomination, he announced Wednesday.
The two-term clerk, elected first in 2020, is the first candidate with experience working in election administration to launch a campaign on the Republican side. He'll face Oakland County parental rights activist and business owner Monica Yatooma, Republican political operative and Clarkston Community Schools board member Amanda Love and Timothy Smith of Zeeland.
"Michigan citizens want to know their vote counts and that the process is run with transparency, credibility and accountability," Forlini said in a statement. "They want their licenses renewed in a timely manner. They want to know that someone who leads the Bureau of Elections is committed to the rule of law, due process and someone who knows how to make government work for them. I am their man."
Forlini had been expected to start a campaign for some time. His presence in the primary field is likely a comfort to party delegates who hoped to see an experienced heavy-hitter join the race – Forlini served in the House prior to his time as clerk – and serves as an answer to the question of whether any familiar Republican names might be on the ballot for secretary of state in 2026.
Forlini's name recognition and elections experience lends heft to his campaign, but he could face objections from his party's right flank over issues of the 2020 election's validity – Forlini commissioned a forensic audit of Macomb County's 2020 results at the behest of members of the public who believed tampering had taken place, but stood by the independent auditors when they found no evidence of fraud or other misconduct. He hasn't espoused the belief that the 2020 presidential election was stolen or subject to manipulation from Democrats, which could put him at odds with a subset of delegates come convention time next year.
Regardless of his views on the security of the 2020 election itself, Forlini emphasized his commitment to security and transparency in his campaign announcement. He outlined measures he took as a clerk to boost public confidence in elections, including turning off modems in proximity to ballot transmission machines to prevent remote hacking, introducing tabulator scanning to ease FOIA requests and mandating watermarked ballots in Macomb County.
Forlini's announcement came with a first endorsement as well, from Macomb County Drain Commissioner and former Secretary of State Candice Miller.
"I am proud to endorse Anthony Forlini for Michigan secretary of state. He will bring the hallmark qualities of integrity and transparency to our election process," Miller said in a statement. "He will also bring his record of administrative professionalism and customer service to the branch offices. Michigan would be well served with Anthony Forlini as Michigan's next Secretary of State."
Despite not having declared a candidacy yet, Forlini received 14.3% of the vote via write-ins in a straw poll of attendees at the Mackinac Republican Leadership Conference this past weekend, coming in third place behind Yatooma and Love, both of whom attended the conference.
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