For months, I’ve been asking Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson to provide my office with basic election training materials that are regularly provided to hundreds of Michigan’s clerks. These aren’t state secrets; they are the simple training materials and guidance used to give clerks clarity on election law and election processes.

Benson has used every excuse to stonewall and dodge my requests. Only the threat of a subpoena led her to release some of the information.

The Legislature is the public’s chief investigators, and we are meant to ensure that the money we appropriate and the laws we pass are being faithfully and competently executed. This request is for the sort of packets and documents they give to new clerks who just got elected — the basic training materials clerks use to fully become acquainted with election laws and processes.

As chair of the House Committee on Elections Integrity and former Martin Township clerk, I didn’t think this request would end up as such a challenge for Benson. This request is for the sort of packets and documents they give to new clerks who just got elected — the basic training materials clerks use to fully become acquainted with election laws and processes.

These items should already have been posted on the public website for the Secretary of State; they should not require a special request. With how much has changed in state election law over the last few years, our legislators need to review those materials and ensure there aren’t any holes or confusion in the training process. We don’t want our new clerks accidentally breaking the law because they’re working off old information. Election Day mistakes can void ballots, and they can end up deciding the outcomes of close elections.

I asked Benson’s staff for the information just a few days after the last election. They initially said no, but said maybe some of the items could be turned over. Then, they back-pedaled and demanded that I submit a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request for the training materials.

I’m an elected state representative and committee chair trying to do the work of the people of Michigan. If Benson were truly transparent and interested in honoring the equal nature of our branches of government, she would’ve given over all of the information without hesitation.

They said no again. On Nov. 21, Benson’s office said they could not provide the e-learning materials because they didn’t understand the FOIA request. I’m not sure what was unclear about letting me see the materials they use to train clerks.

All these documents should be public and shouldn’t be hidden behind false privileges. Her office finally responded and told us that to fulfill the request, they would have to allocate 140 hours, and I would have to pay nearly $9,000.

That is an absurd amount of time.

Unsurprisingly, when facing a subpoena threat, Benson was able to fulfill a substantial amount of the request within a few hours, and it didn’t cost a dime. However, she is still refusing to provide the password of the online training platform for clerks. If we ever want to restore public trust in our elections, we need to see all the relevant documents. That starts with Benson showing respect for the oversight function of the Legislature, an equal branch of Michigan’s government.