The Washtenaw County Democratic Party hosted a forum yesterday at the Pittsfield Township Administration Building for Democratic candidates vying for the positions of state attorney general and secretary of state.

The panel of candidates included Genessee County’s prosecuting attorney David Leyton, who is vying for the Democratic nomination for attorney general and Mark Bernstein, who represented his brother and attorney general candidate Richard Bernstein — a Farmington Hills attorney and University lecturer — who was in Los Angeles for Passover.

Also present were Michigan secretary of state candidates Janice Winfrey, a Detroit city clerk, and Wayne State University Law Prof. Jocelyn Benson.

The town hall-style meeting was open to the general public and attendees were encouraged to question candidates about issues important to their respective offices. Before the question-and-answer session, each candidate opened with a brief introduction, highlighting his or her achievements and why he or she decided to run for the positions.

Benson said her lifelong career in voting advocacy makes her a solid candidate for secretary of state and that her biggest effort as secretary of state would be making sure that all votes are accounted for on election days.

“I’m running for secretary of state because, like many of you, I’m an advocate,” Benson said. “I’ve worked for my entire career as an advocate for justice, as an advocate for equality, but most importantly, as an advocate to ensure that every single vote counts in this county on Election Day.”

Benson said she is eager to use the knowledge she gained while traveling around the country visiting secretaries of state in 36 other states in preparation for her book, “Democracy and the State Secretary of State,” which was published this month.

“I’ve seen that there’s a lot to be done in Michigan to really take us to the next level as we embrace this new economic era that we’re in,” Benson said.

Winfrey, Benson’s opponent, noted that her work as Detroit city clerk, in addition to her status as a life-long Michigan resident, makes her the best candidate for the position.

“I grew up in this state, and I’ve been here all of my life,” Winfrey said. “I attended and graduated from Michigan schools, colleges and universities. I am Michigan, if you will, and who better than one who has invested a lifetime in the state to lead into recovery? I know and understand the people of this great state.”

As city clerk, Winfrey has worked toward making Detroit one of the first cities to provide full results of elections before the end of election nights — a success she said was “a great feat in election administration.”

As secretary of state, Winfrey also said she would extend her work toward ensuring quality election administration.

Mark Bernstein said his brother is qualified for the position of attorney general because he has worked extensively in the courtroom to fight for the rights of the disadvantaged and mentally challenged.

“What you have is a person who has a deep-seeded belief in the power of the law to transform this state to protect the most vulnerable citizens, the elderly, the young, people who don't have a voice,” Bernstein said. “And that’s what he wants to do. That’s why he’s running for this office.”

Though his brother is blind, Bernstein said Richard Bernstein has never “shied away from tough battles.”

“He has fought, and he has won every time,” Bernstein said.

Leyton, Bernstein’s opponent, noted that when the citizens of Michigan go to the polls in November, they will be looking for someone with experience — something he feels that he possesses.

“They look for someone who’s battle tested, experienced and ready to do the job, and I’ve done the job,” Leyton said.

“A lot of people think a prosecutor is a lock ‘em up and throw away the key kind of guy, and that is not true in my case,” Leyton said.