GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Eight in ten voters in Michigan say they are confident in the fairness, security and accuracy of the upcoming 2026 election, when the state will pick a new governor.
On Thursday, two former governors — Jim Blanchard and John Engler — and other former elected officials in Michigan — Lt. Gov. John Cherry and Rep. Mike Bishop — discussed the new findings from a Lansing-based research firm.
"I think the one thing we all agree on is that there isn't some widespread pattern of corruption that somehow is reversing the people's will in these elections in Michigan," Engler said.
The four comprise the bipartisan leadership team for the Michigan chapter of the Democracy Defense Project, a group working to "rebuild American trust in the electoral system and defend the democratic process," according to its website.
Kent County Clerk Lisa Posthumus Lyons also joined the panel discussion, hosted by the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum.
"I think it's really important that we continue to educate the public about our elections because they deserve to have confidence in that," Posthumus Lyons said.
BY THE NUMBERS...
The results of a new poll of 800 registered voters in Michigan, surveyed in early June by a pollster from Glengariff Group.
- 79% say they are confident in the fairness and accuracy of the 2026 Election
- 76% say they are confident in the fairness and accuracy of the 2024 Election
- Prior to Election Day (October 2024), 77% said they were confident in the 2024 Election.
- Prior to Election Day, 38% of Trump voters said they lacked confidence in the election. During the most recent survey, this number dropped to 20%.
- Prior to Election Day, 4% of Harris voters said they lacked confidence in the election. During the most recent survey, this number rose to 16%.
- Prior to Election Day (October 2024), 77% said they were confident in the 2024 Election.
- 88% say they trust elections in their county are run fairly and its votes are counted accurately
- Prior to Election Day, 78% said they trusted their county's election.
- 55% say they trust elections in other Michigan counties are run fairly and its votes are counted accurately
- 23% say Michigan's election system needs major changes
- 13% of Harris voters want major changes
- 35% of Trump voters want major changes
- 57% say they are at least somewhat concerned about non-citizens voting in elections
- 40% say they are not concerned
- 36% say they are very concerned
- 66% say they would support a constitutional amendment requiring anyone registering to vote to provide proof they are a citizen, and require the Michigan Secretary of State verify the citizenship of all Michiganders already registered to vote.
- 54% say they support same-day registration
