CALL to ACTION: Tell SOS Benson What You Think about Rule Set 15
- Pure Integrity Michigan Elections
- 3 minutes ago
- 2 min read
Dear Fellow Patriots and Friends,
Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson is attempting to write legislation through the state’s Rulemaking process.
Rule Set 14 made it through the process and has been formally adopted.
Rule Set 13 made it through the process but is not yet the law.
Rule set 15 is still in the early stages of the process. We have the greatest chance stopping Rule Set 15.
The Department of State is holding a public hearing about Rule Set 15 and your testimony is needed!
Public Hearing
Friday, December 12, 2025
10:00 a.m.
Room 1100 of the Binsfeld Office Building
201 Townsend Street
Lansing, MI. 48933
Rule Set 15 creates regulations for election challengers and poll watchers. It systematically eliminates citizen oversight of our elections.
Please read the full PIME analysis HERE. But here are some key talking points to consider.
These rules force mandatory state-controlled training and certification for election challengers, creating barriers that chill volunteer participation and limit independent oversight of our elections—turning everyday citizens into bureaucrats.
By requiring all challenger communications to go through a government-designated liaison, Rule 15 delays critical challenges to voter eligibility or ballot issues, potentially allowing fraud to slip through while empowering officials to filter complaints.
Limiting challenges to just four vague areas ignores major problems like deceased voters, duplicate registrations, or felons on rolls—leaving systemic election flaws unchecked and eroding trust in the process.
Subjective standards for "disruption" or "party-related clothing" allow arbitrary removal of challengers, opening the door to viewpoint discrimination and silencing those watching for irregularities.
Organizations face new record-keeping, annual submissions, and recertification mandates without funding, hiking costs for political parties and citizen groups while favoring well-resourced insiders.
Promulgated right after Secretary Benson's January 2025 gubernatorial run announcement, these rules suspiciously restrict oversight of the very elections she oversees — a clear conflict that undermines democracy.
Rule 15 violates First Amendment rights to free speech and association by compelling government speech in training and restricting political expression, contradicting Michigan law that protects direct challenger access.
The state's own analysis admits these rules aren't needed and won't change behavior, yet they exceed legal authority and contradict statutes like MCL 168.733—demand a full repeal to safeguard fair elections for all.
Can’t Make It in Person? You have options!
Mail in your comments, but they must be received by 5:00 p.m. ET on 12/12/25. Mail to:
Bureau of Elections
P. O. Box 20129
Lansing, MI 48901-0726
Email your comments, but they must be received by 5:00 p.m. ET on 12/12/25.
Advice for Public Commenters
Consider writing out your comments in advance and reading them.
Keep your comments brief, under one minute.
Keep your tone professional.
Dress professionally.
Try to make your comments your own. It is not recommended that you use the suggested talking points word-for-word.