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Rep. Smit raises concerns after Secretary Benson’s office confirms that ballots were cast by non-citizens in the last election. The lawmaker demands a full audit of voter rolls and verification reforms after Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson’s office confirms non-citizen voting in the 2024 election.
Michigan Lawmaker Questions Election Integrity After Non-Citizen Ballots Counted
Speaker Pro Tempore Rachelle Smit, a Republican from Shelbyville, is calling for deeper scrutiny into Michigan’s election systems following an admission from Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson’s office that at least 15 non-citizens voted in the state’s most recent election.
The acknowledgment, shared with Smit’s office and her House Election Integrity Committee, appears to contradict a statement made by Benson during testimony to the U.S. House Administration Committee in September 2024, where she said there was “no evidence that non-citizens are voting.”
Smit said she found the situation “deeply troubling” and accused Benson of misleading Congress. “Now she admits they are voting in our elections, and at least 15 of them had their ballots tabulated and counted,” Smit stated in the release.
Non-Citizen Voting in Michigan Elections Raises Broader National Questions
The issue of non-citizen voting has become a flashpoint in the national debate on election security. President Donald Trump recently signed an executive order mandating proof of citizenship for all federal elections, renewing calls among Republican officials for tighter controls at the state level.
Secretary Benson’s office has not yet released a detailed public statement or report on how the non-citizens were able to vote, whether it was due to administrative oversight, or if safeguards failed. Her September remarks reflected what was understood at the time: that there was no widespread evidence of non-citizen voting.
Non-Citizen Voting in Michigan Elections Raises Broader National Questions
The issue of non-citizen voting has become a flashpoint in the national debate on election security. President Donald Trump recently signed an executive order mandating proof of citizenship for all federal elections, renewing calls among Republican officials for tighter controls at the state level.
Secretary Benson’s office has not yet released a detailed public statement or report on how the non-citizens were able to vote, whether it was due to administrative oversight, or if safeguards failed. Her September remarks reflected what was understood at the time: that there was no widespread evidence of non-citizen voting.
Non-Citizen Voting Rare
Justin Levitt, a constitutional law professor at Loyola Law School and a former U.S. Department of Justice official, has noted that confirmed cases of non-citizen voting are extremely rare and often result from confusion during the registration process, especially when non-citizens obtain driver’s licenses or state IDs. Levitt, who tracked such incidents during his time in the Obama administration, published a study showing just 31 credible instances of non-citizen voting between 2000 and 2014 out of over 1 billion ballots cast.
“The truth is, voter fraud is very rare, and there is no evidence of widespread impersonation at the polls,” Levitt wrote in a Brennan Center for Justice article.
While isolated cases do not prove systemic fraud, they often spark political action. The Michigan House Election Integrity Committee, chaired by Rep. Smit, plans to examine whether the state’s registration systems and data sharing with federal agencies are effective enough to prevent similar occurrences in future elections.
Michigan’s Voter Roll Maintenance Under Scrutiny Again
Smit, a former township clerk, said Michigan’s voter rolls need an audit. She is pushing for a full review to confirm that only living U.S. citizens who are Michigan residents are on the rolls and eligible to vote.
“Proof of citizenship should absolutely be required to vote in our elections,” she said. “Our nation is only sovereign if our elections are secure and subject only to our citizens.”
While Michigan currently complies with federal guidelines on voter registration and eligibility verification, some critics argue the state’s reliance on self-certification and federal data limits its ability to catch citizenship discrepancies early.
Secretary Benson’s office had previously cited the federal National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) as a constraint on how states can manage voter rolls, especially regarding document-based citizenship checks.
National Backdrop: Millions of SSNs Issued to Non-Citizens Sparks Controversy
The debate is also being shaped by recent reports that millions of Social Security numbers were issued to non-citizens in 2023 and 2024 under federal immigration programs. While those SSNs are typically for work authorization only, some critics argue that these individuals could unintentionally access voting systems.
Federal data shows that most non-citizens who vote do so mistakenly and are often unaware they are ineligible. Still, the optics of 15 non-citizen ballots being counted have fueled renewed partisan debate in Michigan and beyond.
Calls for Transparency as 2026 Midterms Loom
With the 2026 midterm elections less than 18 months away, Smit said Michigan must act quickly. Her committee plans to hold hearings to address voter eligibility concerns and push for proof-of-citizenship legislation in the state House.
Meanwhile, Secretary Benson’s office has not commented publicly on the newly acknowledged cases or whether additional steps will be taken before the next major election.
Related Reading and Additional Context
- Federal Elections and Citizenship Laws – National Conference of State Legislatures
- National Voter Registration Act Overview – U.S. Department of Justice
- Automatic Voter Registration Systems – Brennan Center for Justice
Sources: Michigan House Republican Caucus Press Release (April 7, 2025), U.S. House Committee on Administration Testimony, Federal Election Commission, Interview with Dr. Edward Foley
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