Securing the States: Protecting Our Vote
2026-05-06 18:30 - 19:30 (America/New_York) | BigTent Zoom Room
The fight for democracy is being won—and challenged—state by state.
Join BigTentUSA—at a new time—Wednesday, May 6 at 6:30pm ET for a dynamic virtual conversation with Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson and New Mexico’s Doña Ana County Clerk Amanda López Askin—two leaders who have stood on the frontlines of protecting free and fair elections.
Amanda López Askin is running for Secretary of State in New Mexico and has successfully defended her office’s work against denialism, extremism, and repeated legal challenges. Jocelyn Benson has done the same in Michigan—and now brings that fight to her campaign for Governor. Together, they’ll break down the real challenges election officials face, what it takes to safeguard elections at the state level, and how individuals can take action to support election integrity in their own communities.
Democracy doesn’t defend itself—be part of the effort to protect it where it matters most.

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.
