Michigan Secretary of State says disrupters a ‘top concern’ on Election Day

LANSING, Mich. (FOX 2) - Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson said her office and county clerks are aware of possible disrupters on Election Day planning to cause problems but says a plan is in place to make sure it doesn't happen.

Benson spoke with FOX 2's Tim Skubick on Wednesday, less than three weeks ahead of the 2022 Midterm Elections. She said that, while nobody is predicting there being a disruption, it's on her office's radar.

"It is my top concern. On a scale of 1-10, I'd put it at a 7 or an 8. We have seen chatter, we have been working with national security experts as well. I would rate it high because that is the level in which we are prioritizing the potential and the plans to minimize potential disruptions on Election Day," Benson said.

Michigan is one of six states allegedly targeted by people who are talking about disrupting the vote and Benson said authorities are ready for what could happen.

In addition to worrying about outsiders who may try to disrupt the voting from the outside, the secretary says she has evidence about the training of poll workers who could disrupt voting on the inside.

"We are aware of the reporting and other evidence," she said. "We know that there have been some aggressive efforts to try to train individuals with misinformation and place them in positions of poll workers."

So what does that mean? According to Benson, she said they have Intel that some people have been trained to come into the polling place with misinformation in order to challenge people's right to vote.

Benson did not disclose what that may be but said that her and election clerks are all prepare for it to happen.