October 24, 2024
Newly surfaced footage has revealed troubling evidence of non-citizens being registered to vote in Minnesota, raising concerns about the integrity of the state’s electoral system. Video obtained by Muckraker CEO Anthony Rubin reveals various migrant people admitting they were non-citizens but registered voters in the state. Courtesy Oversight Project The video shows a residential building where 31% of the interviewees admitted they were non-citizens who had indeed registered to vote.
This development follows the passage of two controversial laws under Governor Tim Walz’s leadership that critics argue are undermining Minnesota’s elections.
Two Laws Under Scrutiny
First law, a “Driver’s License for All bill” that Governor Walz signed into law to grant driver’s licenses to all people who are not citizens or from a country that they aren’t on. While Walz said it is good law because, “Ensuring drivers in our state are licensed and carry insurance makes the roads safer for all Minnesotans,” opponents argued that it would result in voter fraud.
The second bill, the Democracy for the People Act, adds automatic voter registration to people who are in contact with the state’s Driver and Vehicle Services (DVS). In the past, you had to opt-in to register as a voter, but now if you are qualified, you’re automatically registered, unless you opt out. This election process has also been heavily scrutinized for how non-citizens and illegal immigrants can accidentally or purposefully be put on the voting rolls.
Footage Raises Red Flags
They are footage of unauthorized interviews where the citizens admit to being registered as voters, even though they are not native citizens. One terrifying conversation has an undercover interviewer asking a resident if they’ve registered to vote. The non-citizen says “Yes” but then goes on to explain that they haven’t yet been a citizen.
The video shows further exchanges where non-citizens discuss their political preferences, highlighting the ease with which non-citizens have entered the state’s voter rolls under current policies.
Calls for Accountability
This video is an alarming development, at least for Minnesota’s Republican congressional delegation. Congressman Tom Emmer (R-MN), House Administration Chairman Bryan Steil and Republican members of Congress sent a letter earlier this month to Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon and Department of Public Safety Commissioner Bob Jacobson. The letter asked for information about reports that non-citizens had been getting ballots as part of the state’s automatic voter registration system.
In the letter, Emmer and his co-signers pointed to how the Driver’s License for All bill and the automatic voter registration system might have been a “fatal flaw,” which threatens election security.
“The combination of [automatic voter registration] and Driver’s License for All could be the fatal combination that led to the report of this and other noncitizens receiving a primary ballot in the mail,” the letter reads.
Broader Concerns Over Election Security
The revelations in Minnesota underscore growing concerns about election security in states where non-citizens can obtain driver’s licenses and be inadvertently registered to vote. Critics argue that these policies could have far-reaching implications for election integrity, especially in states like Minnesota where tight races could be decided by a small number of votes. As the debate continues, the footage has added fuel to the argument that stricter controls are needed to ensure that only eligible citizens are allowed to vote, safeguarding the integrity of future elections.
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