Macomb County Clerk Anthony Forlini, the Republican candidate for Michigan Secretary of State, is positioning his extensive local government background as the key antidote to what he describes as a deeply politicized and aging state election infrastructure. In an exclusive interview with Hm ahead of the Michigan Secretary of State election, Forlini targeted data privacy, technological upgrades, administrative efficiency, and the restoration of public trust as core pillars of his campaign. Florini on data privacy and government transparencyAddressing criticism regarding his pledge to halt the sharing of Michigan voter information with third-party groups, Forlini drew a sharp contrast between current state practices and his standard for data stewardship.

He argued that the state administration has demonstrated hypocrisy by collaborating with private entities—such as a French firm for driver’s licenses and outside organizations handling voter data—while resisting cooperative oversight.

Ohio Libertarian candidate Bill Redpath backs ending visa caps, says free immigration would benefit workers"It is important that we protect the Michigan citizens from unnecessary use of their data," Forlini said. "Government only needs what is critically necessary to administer functions that the state government performs." Scaling local success to statewide governmentDrawing on his background as a former township supervisor and the current clerk of Macomb County—the state's third-largest county, representing nearly 10% of Michigan's voting population—Forlini pointed to proven local models ready for statewide implementation.

Chief among them is a pioneering campaign finance system developed in Macomb County that he says operates at a fraction of the cost of the current state system.“In Macomb, we have a campaign finance system that I pioneered which works really well, and it is a service for pennies on the dollar compared to the state system. We can scale that up and make it work statewide,” he told Hm.

To streamline operations across the board, Forlini also proposed introducing performance dashboards for every Secretary of State branch office to drive accountability and customer service excellence. Addressing the needs of rural and urban clerksRecognizing the stark demographic differences across Michigan—from dense urban centers like Detroit to rural townships in the Upper Peninsula and Northern Michigan—Forlini emphasized the importance of tailoring state support.

Having traveled the state to speak directly with local officials, Forlini noted that smaller communities face unique hurdles that differ vastly from large counties like Macomb. "Because I am a clerk, I am best positioned to understand their needs," he stated, stressing that resource distribution must be grounded in listening to local administrators. Overhauling aging voting technologyTurning to election security, Forlini highlighted a pressing technological vulnerability: Michigan's current voting equipment is nearly 15 years old.

While proponents of current systems point to air-gapped security, Forlini argued that federal guidelines have evolved and that hardware security gaps necessitate an immediate upgrade. He is pushing for the adoption of “new tabulators” ahead of the 2028 election cycle—contingent upon legislative approval for funding in the state budget—to provide stronger technical safeguards between software and hardware. Restoring nonpartisan trustWith the Secretary of State's office increasingly viewed as a political combat zone, Forlini billed himself as a consensus-builder capable of acting as a neutral referee.

He highlighted his cross-partisan backing as proof of his record."I’m the only candidate right now that is endorsed by both parties, because I have been known to be non-partisan," Forlini said, pointing to his history of diverse hiring practices and public engagement. Looking ahead to election dayIn his closing message to Michigan voters, Forlini framed his candidacy as a chance to pivot away from eight years of heightened polarization and return the department to a citizen-first agency."

The Secretary of State office has been overly politicized these last 8 years," Forlini said. “After winning national awards for innovation and efficiency in my current role, I believe I can make incredible changes... A vote for me is a vote for you.”2026 Michigan Secretary of State electionForlini, 64, is competing against Democratic Lieutenant Governor Garlin Gilchrist II for the position of Secretary of State, a role that will become vacant as the current officeholder, Jocelyn Benson, is constitutionally restricted from seeking another term and is instead pursuing the governorship.

The successful candidate will assume responsibility for administering the departments overseeing driver's licenses and vehicle registration plates, while simultaneously directing and supervising the administration of the 2028 presidential election in a pivotal swing state. The 2026 Michigan Secretary of State election is scheduled to take place on November 3, 2026Anthony Forlini: A look at his education, political career and personal lifeForlini, a Detroit native who grew up in St. Clair Shores, holds a business degree from Western Michigan and built a career spanning multiple decades in business ownership and financial planning.

He assumed the role of Harrison Township supervisor in 2004 before serving three consecutive terms in the state House. In 2020, he narrowly defeated Democratic Macomb County Clerk Fred Miller with a 2% margin and secured reelection in 2024. In his capacity as clerk, Forlini commissioned a forensic examination of the county's election server in 2021. The examination revealed no evidence of external interference. Additionally, he implemented watermarked ballot paper and introduced Ballot Verifier, a digital platform designed to display images of ballots submitted within the county. Anthony and his wife Diane have maintained their marriage for more than forty years. Together, they have raised three children and are grandparents to four grandchildren.