AG Nessel and Secretary Jocelyn Benson issued statements in response to letters sent by the U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Civil Rights Division to three Michigan municipalities ahead of the August 2026 primary. The letters, which were sent to the cities of Detroit, East Lansing, and Lansing the last week of June, request various documents from each city predicated on baseless accusations and state the DOJ’s intention to deploy federal election monitors to various polling locations during the August primary election.

"The courts have been clear time and time again: states run elections, not the federal government. Michigan law provides not only a variety of ways to vote, but also plenty of opportunities to get involved in the election process. Residents can witness the public logic and accuracy testing of our tabulators and volunteer on election day as poll workers or election inspectors. The law even provides parameters for federal and congressional poll monitors. We encourage everyone to participate and see for themselves how secure and fair our elections are – but make no mistake, my office stands ready to hold accountable those who attempt to unlawfully interfere with or intimidate Michigan election workers.” -AG Nessel