A video of a Minnesota election official explaining voter registration rules on Somali-language television has drawn heavy criticism online, with conservative commentators arguing the state’s voting laws are too permissive even though the official’s statements matched current law.
In the clip, Minnesota voter outreach director Melanie Hazelip told viewers that registered voters do not need to bring anything to their early voting location, whether that’s a county office, City Hall, library or community center. She also explained that unregistered voters can still cast a ballot on the spot if they bring an updated Minnesota ID, or another document from a list posted on the Secretary of State’s website.
“If you’re already registered to vote, you don’t need to bring anything with you,” Hazelip said. “You just show up to your early voting location, which is usually the county office or City Hall.”
The video was reposted by conservative commentator End Wokeness and drew close to a million views, with many users arguing the state’s system makes it too easy to vote without proof of citizenship.
Online Reaction
Retired Navy intelligence officer Phillip C. Parrish wrote on X that Minnesota issues state IDs to noncitizens without any citizenship marking, and pointed to the state’s “vouching” provision, which allows one registered voter to vouch for up to eight others during same-day registration by signing an oath about their address.
“Affirm you’re a citizen. Cast the vote. Get investigated later—if at all. This is how the system is built. It is not an accident,” Parrish wrote.
Federalist Society co-founder David McIntosh said on X, “Democrats are on a mission to tell every non-citizen how they can get away with voting in our elections. How is this not election interference?” Red Ax Strategies president Matthew Brodsky and conservative commentator Riley Gaines also criticized the video online, with Gaines calling for passage of the SAVE America Act.
State’s Response
The Minnesota Secretary of State’s office said in a statement that it “provides information and resources on Minnesota election laws to hundreds of nonpartisan community groups every year as a part of our regular voter engagement efforts.”
“Recently, our voter outreach director spoke with a local news outlet and provided accurate information about Minnesota election laws and how eligible voters cast their ballots. Unfortunately, her accurate remarks have been misinterpreted and misrepresented by political actors online,” the statement said. “With only a few days left before the election, we remain focused on making sure every eligible Minnesotan knows how and where to cast their ballot.”
Bill Glahn, a policy fellow at the Center of the American Experiment, said that given the timing before the election and the audience of the broadcast, Hazelip “really should have emphasized the need to be an American citizen in order to vote.” He added that while most Somali immigrants in Minnesota are naturalized citizens, not all are, noting that a noncitizen was recently sentenced to 30 years in federal prison in connection with the Feeding Our Future fraud case.
Broader Context
The controversy comes amid ongoing scrutiny of fraud within social service programs tied to Minnesota’s Somali immigrant community under Gov. Tim Walz’s administration. Critics have also pointed to a 2023 law signed by Walz, known as “Driver’s Licenses For All,” which allows residents to obtain a license regardless of immigration status. Those licenses carry no citizenship markings, even though they are commonly used for voter registration.
Under Minnesota law, a registered voter may vouch for up to eight other voters seeking same-day registration without an ID, provided the voucher accompanies them to the polling place and signs an oath verifying their address, according to a fact sheet from the Secretary of State’s office.
Glahn said earlier this year that while the state highlights safeguards meant to ensure only citizens vote, enforcement is limited. “It’s a penalty of perjury,” he said. “You signed an oath, but if you signed as Mickey Mouse, they’re not going to find you.”
In September, federal prosecutors indicted an immigrant from India living in the country illegally on charges of falsely claiming U.S. citizenship in order to vote in Minnesota’s 2024 general election.
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