Minnesota Official Draws Backlash Over Somali TV Voting Guidance as State Allows Same-Day Registration
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Oct 30
Minnesota Official Draws Backlash Over Somali TV Voting Guidance as State Allows Same-Day Registration
1 articles · Updated · Fox News · Oct 30
Summary
Melanie Hazelip, Minnesota’s voter outreach director, came under fire after an Oct. 26 Somali TV appearance explaining that registered voters need no ID at the polls and others can still register the same day.
Nearly 1 million views on a repost by End Wokeness amplified conservative claims that Minnesota’s rules are too permissive, especially because noncitizens can obtain state IDs without citizenship markings.
The Secretary of State’s office said Hazelip gave accurate, routine guidance to community groups and that political actors misrepresented her remarks days before the election.
Critics also pointed to a state rule letting one registered voter vouch for up to 8 others’ residency and to a September federal indictment accusing an Indian national of falsely claiming U.S. citizenship to vote in 2024.
The dispute lands as Gov. Tim Walz’s administration already faces scrutiny over hundreds of millions of dollars in fraud tied to social-service programs involving Minnesota’s Somali immigrant community.