Republicans want ‘comprehensive oversight’ of Michigan’s 2026 election. What does that mean?

VotebeatisanonprofitnewsorganizationreportingonvotingaccessandelectionadministrationacrosstheU.S.SignupforVotebeatMichigan’sfreenewsletterhere. InalettertoU.S.AttorneyGeneralPamBondilastweek,MichiganRepublicansaskedthefederalgovernmenttoprovide“comprehensiveoversight”ofthestate’s2026election. Buttheletterdoesn’tspecifywhat“comprehensiveoversight”means.Andit’snotclearthatthepeoplewhosignedtheletteragreeonthemeaningeither. Atotalof22RepublicanstatelegislatorsfromboththeSenateandtheHousesignedontotheletter,includingSenateMinorityLeaderAricNesbitt,Sen.RuthJohnson—aformerMichigansecretaryofstate—andRep.RachelleSmit,wholeadstheHouseElectionIntegrityCommittee. TheletteraskstheU.S.JusticeDepartmentto“deployofficialelectionmonitorsandprovidecomprehensiveoversightforMichigan’s2026primaryandgeneralelections.”ItcitesanumberofconcernsaboutSecretaryofStateJocelynBenson’sadministr