BRIEFING #4
Michigan Pre-Election Briefing
COMPLETED Friday, October 25, 2024
WHAT: This Michigan briefing introduced the Election Overtime project and discussed election issues in Michigan.
SPEAKERS
Jocelyn Benson, Secretary of State
Jocelyn Benson is Michigan's 43rd Secretary of State. Prior to her election in 2018, Benson served as CEO of the Ross Initiative in Sports for Equality (RISE), a national nonprofit organization using the unifying power of sports to improve race relations, and as dean of Wayne State University Law School in Detroit. In 2010, Benson authored "State Secretaries of State: Guardians of the Democratic Process," the first major book on the role of the secretary of state in enforcing election and campaign finance laws. She holds a law degree from Harvard Law School and a Master of Philosophy degree from Oxford University. |
Aghogho Edevbie, Deputy Secretary of State
Aghogho Edevbie has served as the Deputy Secretary of State for Michigan since March 2023. Previously, Edevbie served as the Michigan state director for All Voting is Local, a nonpartisan voting rights organization, and practiced law with Detroit-area firms and for the Wayne County government. Edevbie earned his law and bachelor's degrees from the University of Michigan. |
Tonya Schuitmaker, Right Leaning Lead, Michiganders for Civic Resilience
Tonya Schuitmaker served in the Michigan State Senate from 2010-2018 and was chosen by colleagues to serve as the Senate's President Pro Tempore, the second woman to hold the position. She served on the Senate Appropriations Committee and as a Chairperson of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Higher Education. She was also a member of the Senate's Judiciary, and Energy & Technology committees. She is a practicing attorney at Schuitmaker Moraitis Law in Paw Paw, Michigan. She is also Co-Director of the Michigan Political Leadership Program at Michigan State University. Schuitmaker earned her Juris Doctor and graduated Cum Laude from the Detroit College of Law/Michigan State University. Christine Greig, Left Leaning Lead, Michiganders for Civic Resilience Christine Greig was elected in 2014 to serve as State Representative for Farmington Hills and served as the Democratic Floor Leader from 2017-2018 and the Democratic Leader from 2019-2020. As a lawmaker, she championed legislation on economic development, public education, and reproductive rights. She was a 2015 Fellow for the Council of State Government (CSG) Midwest's Bowhay Institute for Legislative Leadership Development Program. She received numerous awards including the National PTA Lifetime Achievement Award, AAUW Michigan Martha Griffiths Equity Award, and numerous Legislator of the Year recognitions.Post-Lansing, Chris served as Senior Advisor to The Lawmaker Network, a nonprofit organization supporting state lawmakers across the country. |
Justin Roebuck, Clerk/Register, Ottawa County, Michigan
Justin Roebuck has served Ottawa County residents for the past decade as Clerk and Register of Deeds. During that time, he has focused on leading in the areas of customer service, technology and the security of our public records and elections. The County Clerk and Register of Deeds is responsible for the administration of all elections within Ottawa County, recording and preserving all records related to real property such as mortgage and deed documents, maintaining all records of the 20th Circuit Court, as well as all vital records such as birth, marriage, death and business registration records. Justin began serving Ottawa County in 2009 as the Elections Coordinator for the Clerk’s Office. He was appointed County Clerk and Register of Deeds in 2014 and elected to the position in 2016. Previous to this role he served on the staff of Michigan Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land, and Congressman Tim Walberg (MI-05). |

Heather Balas
Heather Balas, Vice President of the Election Reformers Network, will moderate the briefing and provide context on the Election Overtime legal briefing materials. She brings over 25 years of experience in public policy, including research, citizen deliberation, advocacy, and voter education. Heather is a senior consultant to the Carter Center, advising on reforms to strengthen American democracy. Heather is the previous President and Executive Director of New Mexico First, a cross-partisan public policy organization co-founded by former U.S. Senators Jeff Bingaman and Pete Domenici. She holds a master’s degree in political communication from the University of Maryland and a bachelor’s degree in journalism.
Heather Balas, Vice President of the Election Reformers Network, will moderate the briefing and provide context on the Election Overtime legal briefing materials. She brings over 25 years of experience in public policy, including research, citizen deliberation, advocacy, and voter education. Heather is a senior consultant to the Carter Center, advising on reforms to strengthen American democracy. Heather is the previous President and Executive Director of New Mexico First, a cross-partisan public policy organization co-founded by former U.S. Senators Jeff Bingaman and Pete Domenici. She holds a master’s degree in political communication from the University of Maryland and a bachelor’s degree in journalism.

Kevin Johnson
Kevin Johnson, Executive Director of the Election Reformers Network, will present newly released survey data on voter understanding of the rule of law in elections, as well as context around the increased attention to certification procedures in the U.S. He is the co-founder ERN, and since 2017, has led the organization’s research and advocacy programs focused on impartial election administration, independent redistricting, and election protection. Kevin draws on decades of experience supporting emerging democracies overseas and advancing reforms in the U.S. Kevin holds an MBA from the Wharton School and a BA from Yale University.
Kevin Johnson, Executive Director of the Election Reformers Network, will present newly released survey data on voter understanding of the rule of law in elections, as well as context around the increased attention to certification procedures in the U.S. He is the co-founder ERN, and since 2017, has led the organization’s research and advocacy programs focused on impartial election administration, independent redistricting, and election protection. Kevin draws on decades of experience supporting emerging democracies overseas and advancing reforms in the U.S. Kevin holds an MBA from the Wharton School and a BA from Yale University.