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Minnesota’s election system is facing scrutiny on social media after a clip of a state official speaking to Somali voters reignited concerns about the integrity of the state’s elections.
“If you’re already registered to vote, you don’t need to bring anything with you,” Melanie Hazelip, Minnesota’s voter outreach director, told Somali Television.
“Just show up at your early voting location, which is usually the county office or city hall. Minneapolis and larger jurisdictions have many additional places you can go, such as many libraries or community centers. As long as you are registered to vote, you don’t need to bring anything with you.
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“If you are not registered to vote…you still have options. If you have an updated Minnesota ID, that’s all you need to bring with you. If you don’t have that, there is a list of documents on our website that you can find. You still have the option to register the same day.”
Although Hazelip’s comments complied with current laws, they sparked outrage on social media after being posted by conservative influencer End Wokeness, and the post racked up nearly a million views, with users arguing that the system is too lax.
Minnesota Voter Outreach Director Melanie Hazelip faced backlash online after describing the state’s voter ID and same-day registration rules during an Oct. 26 appearance on Minnesota Somali Television. (YouTube/Somali Television of Minnesota)
“A Minnesota election official just went on Somali TV and told viewers how to register and vote the same day using a Minnesota state ID,” posted on X.
“Minnesota distributes these IDs to noncitizens without mention of citizenship. Using a guarantor allows a registered voter to provide sworn proof of up to eight others. Citizenship is required by law. Real-time proof is not. The same state that lost hundreds of millions to documented fraud in child care, nutrition and Medicaid programs is now advertising the easiest path to the ballot on community television. Claim you are a citizen. Vote. Be investigated later, if at all. This is how the system is built.
Federalist Society co-founder David McIntosh wrote on X: “Democrats are on a mission to tell all non-citizens how they can vote in our elections.
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Minnesota Governor Tim Walz testifies during a House Oversight and Government Reform Committee hearing at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, DC, March 4, 2026. (Getty Images)
“Why isn’t this election interference?”
“Nothing to see here, I’m sure,” Red Ax Strategies President Matthew Brodsky posted on X.
“This is why passing the SAVE America Act is crucial,” conservative commentator Riley Gaines posted on X.
In a statement to Fox News Digital, the Minnesota Secretary of State’s office said it “provides information and resources on Minnesota’s election laws to hundreds of nonpartisan community groups each year as part of our regular voter engagement efforts.”
“Recently, our Voter Outreach Director spoke with a local media outlet and provided accurate information about Minnesota’s election laws and how eligible voters cast ballots. Unfortunately, her specific remarks were misinterpreted and distorted by political actors online,” the statement said.
“With the election just days away, we remain focused on ensuring all eligible Minnesotans know how and where to vote.”
Bill Glahn, a researcher at the Center of the American Experiment, told Fox News Digital: “Given the timing, so close to the election – and the Somali TV audience – she really should have emphasized the need to be an American citizen to be able to vote.”
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“It is true that most Somali immigrants are naturalized citizens, but not all,” Glahn said. “In fact, a non-citizen was just sentenced to 30 years in federal prison for the Feeding Our Future fraud.”
The scrutiny comes as the Walz administration faces hundreds of millions of dollars lost to social services fraud linked to the state’s Somali immigrant community. Critics pointed to another flaw in the Minnesota state law signed by Gov. Tim Walz in 2023, which called for driver’s licenses for all, regardless of immigration status. The policy also states that licenses do not bear any markings indicating citizenship, even though such IDs are commonly used for voter registration.
Under Minnesota law, a registered voter can “vouch” for the residence of up to eight other voters who wish to register for same-day voter registration without identification. The registered voter must accompany the person(s) to the polling location and sign an oath confirming their address, according to an official fact sheet from the Minnesota Secretary of State’s office.
Glahn told Fox News Digital earlier this year that while the state touts the safeguards it has in place to ensure only citizens vote, “it’s like murder is illegal, but it happens all the time.”
“It’s a penalty for perjury,” he said. “You signed an oath, but if you signed as Mickey Mouse, they won’t find you.”
In September, a federal indictment was returned charging an illegal immigrant from India with knowingly falsely claiming to be a U.S. citizen to vote in Minnesota’s 2024 general election.
Charles Creitz of Fox News Digital contributed to this report
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