Secretary of State of Michigan
Garlin Gilchrist II
CandidateD
- Race
- Secretary of State of Michigan
- Election
- 2026-11-03
- Opponents
- Anthony Forlini (R); Eric Borregard (G); Christine Sloan (LIB); Scott Aughney (U.S. Taxpayers)
- Research
- Basic
Party linenone
No recorded floor votes — not a current legislator in our records.
Said vs. did1 statement · 0 votes
protecting abortion access
Protect legal access to abortion
Compare statements with votes ›On the ballotSecretary of State
2026-11-03
| Garlin Gilchrist II D | challenger |
| Anthony Forlini R | challenger |
| Eric Borregard G | challenger |
| Christine Sloan LIB | challenger |
| Scott Aughney U.S. Taxpayers | challenger |
Democratic Party nominee; filed August 31, 2026 following the party convention (Michigan Bureau of Elections listing).
Said vs. did
Each documented position next to the recorded floor votes we map to the same issue. Votes are compared one at a time; no overall stance is inferred from them.
protecting abortion access
His campaign site lists protecting abortion access among his accomplishments working alongside Gov. Whitmer.[3]
No recorded floor vote in our key-vote set maps to this issue.
Biography
Garlin Gilchrist is the Democratic nominee for Michigan Secretary of State and has been lieutenant governor since 2019. A computer engineer by training, he left the race for governor in January 2026 to run for this office, and is campaigning on protecting voter data from federal access, campaign-finance transparency and better Secretary of State branch services.[1][2]
Basic profile — the most important sourced facts we found.
Gilchrist is a computer engineer by training; according to his official state biography he is a software engineer.[1][4] In 2017 he ran unsuccessfully for Detroit city clerk against incumbent Janice Winfrey.[1][2] He has been lieutenant governor since 2019, serving alongside Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.[1]
In January 2026 Gilchrist dropped out of the race for governor and entered the Secretary of State race.[1] Michigan Democrats chose him as their nominee for secretary of state at the party's convention on April 19, 2026.[5] His state biography says he lives in Detroit with his wife and children.[4]
On the record
Official actions: bills, executive acts, filings and court records.
- actionLieutenant governor in the Whitmer administration; his campaign says he played a leading role in free pre-K for all, abortion-access protections and expanded internet connectivity.[3]
In their own words
Priorities
- Protecting Michigan voters' data from federal access; he said he would not turn over the unredacted voter roll to the Justice Department.[6]
- Campaign-finance transparency, including disclosure of dark-money donors before an election and 'real-time enforcement' of violations, under a plan he calls 'Stand TALL.'[6][3]
- Modernizing licensing and registration services and holding repair companies that overcharge customers accountable.[3]
Statements, quoted without a stance
- Require documentary proof of citizenship to register to vote
“As a process person, I want to make sure that we get that number to zero. I also want to make sure that we are focusing on the right things, and that is again making sure we have a good process,”[7]
Asked about requiring proof of citizenship to register; he said voting is reserved for citizens and that "vanishingly few noncitizens … actually cast ballots"
Campaign moneyNo FEC filing summary matched — state candidates file with their state, not the FEC.
Profile: /people/garlin-gilchrist-ii
Compare all 5 candidates side by side ›
Sources cited in this profile
- 1.Michigan secretary of state candidates share election policies · Votebeat · 2026-03-02 News report
- 2.Michigan secretary of state candidates weigh in on election transparency, Trump administration · Michigan Advance / Votebeat · 2026-10-08 News report
- 3.Garlin Gilchrist for Secretary of State · Garlin Gilchrist for Secretary of State Candidate's own words
- 4.Lt. Governor Garlin Gilchrist II · State of Michigan Official record
- 5.Michigan Democrats choose Lt. Gov. Gilchrist as secretary of state nominee, Eli Savit for AG · WILX · 2026-04-19 News report
- 6.Michigan secretary of state candidates weigh in on election transparency, Trump administration · Michigan Advance / Votebeat · 2026-10-08 News report
- 7.Michigan secretary of state candidates share election policies · Votebeat · 2026-03-02 News report