Benson says officials fear election day 'violence and disruption'

Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson said Sunday the biggest fear for her and other election officials across the country is “violence and disruption” on election day and the surrounding days.

“And secondly, there's a concern about the ongoing spread of misinformation which of course, fuels the potential for additional threats, harassment and, and even violence on election day,” Benson added, while replying to a question on the CBS News program “Face the Nation.”

Benson, a Democrat, during an interview with Face the Nation host Major Garrett, talked about working with other officials from both political parties on maintaining election integrity even as former President Donald Trump continues to push false conspiracies that the 2020 election was stolen.

"What's really happened over the last few years is this growth of factless misinformation or allegations based not on evidence, but on aspersions, and really geared towards furthering partisan agendas, and delegitimizing democracy itself," she said.

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Garrett asked Benson what measures have been taken to ensure a fair election.

“All voters should know that election officials on both sides of the aisle are working night and day to ensure we're collaborating with law enforcement and every other potential partner to protect the sanctity of the polling place and protect the integrity of our democracy," Benson said. "And it's also important to note that we've been doing this work now for close to two years or over two years, and we've been succeeding really, at every turn. Democracy prevailed in 2020."

Benson was elected in 2018 and is being challenged in November by Republican Kristina Karamo, who gained prominence as a poll challenger in the 2020 election.

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Responding to accusations that deceased voters are not being timely purged from voting rolls, Benson said elections officials work diligently to keep voting records up to date, including removing voters who have died or moved out of state.

"The bottom line is we want to ensure that our lists are accurate, but we're also not removing voters who are legitimately able to be registered and vote in Michigan," she said.

You can read a transcript of the full interview here. Citizens can learn more about how to vote at michigan.gov/vote.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Jocelyn Benson says officials fear election day violence