Democracy isn’t defending itself—and this conversation made clear that the frontlines run straight through the states.
On May 6, BigTentUSA hosted a powerful discussion moderated by Joanna Lydgate of States United Action. Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson and New Mexico’s Doña Ana County Clerk Amanda López Askin laid out the growing threats to free and fair elections—and the leaders fighting back.
The speakers warned that attacks on election workers, misinformation campaigns, voter intimidation, and efforts to undermine public trust are already shaping the road to 2028. But they also emphasized that coordinated state-level leadership defeated attempts to overturn the 2020 election and can do so again. From protecting vote-by-mail access to preventing intimidation at polling sites, both leaders stressed the importance of proactive safeguards and community engagement.
The message was unmistakable: volunteer to serve as a poll worker, support trusted local election officials, and stay engaged year-round—because protecting democracy starts long before Election Day.
ABOUT THE SPEAKERS:
Amanda López Askin is a public servant rooted in New Mexico, raised in Las Cruces by a hardworking single mother who relied on assistance and public housing. She became a therapist, helping children in foster care, before serving as Doña Ana County Clerk. In that role, she leads with fairness and compassion, ensuring election integrity while combating misinformation and protecting election workers. Now running for Secretary of State, Amanda is focused on keeping elections safe and secure, expanding voter access and education, increasing campaign finance transparency, and supporting small businesses by streamlining licensing processes across the state.
Jocelyn Benson is Michigan’s 43rd Secretary of State and a Democratic candidate for governor. Raised in a working-class family by two special education teachers, she was shaped by values of hard work, opportunity, and service. Since 2019, she has transformed Michigan’s motor vehicle services, improving efficiency with 150+ convenient self-service stations, while strengthening election security and access. In the face of threats to both herself and her colleagues, she oversaw two of the highest-turnout, transparent elections in state history. Benson is running for governor to expand efficient, accessible public services, lower costs for working families, and invest in education, housing, child care, health care, and economic development for all.
Joanna Lydgate is Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the States United Democracy Center and States United Action, nonpartisan organizations dedicated to preserving the rule of law and free, fair, secure elections. Since 2020, States United has provided legal, research, policy, and communications support to state officials. Before launching States United, Joanna served as Chief Deputy Attorney General of Massachusetts. In that role, she coordinated multi-state litigation and worked with a bipartisan team of colleagues from across the country to uphold shared values, protect civil liberties, and defend the rule of law. She also oversaw criminal enforcement, coordinating daily with local, state, and federal law enforcement partners. Joanna has served as an Assistant Attorney General in the Civil Rights Division of the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office, was a law clerk to Judge Norman H. Stahl on the First Circuit Court of Appeals, and worked in nonprofit legal services in New York City. She is a graduate of Yale University and the University of California, Berkeley, School of Law.
