Minnesota Secretary of State's Office Responds to Somali-Language TV Voter Guide Dispute, Calling Its Outreach Accurate and Misrepresented Online
In Minneapolis, Hennepin County, Minnesota, the Secretary of State's office has responded to a dispute over voter outreach director Melanie Hazelelip's appearance on a Somali-language television program explaining how to vote, saying Hazelelip gave an accurate account of Minnesota election law as part of routine community outreach and that her remarks were misrepresented online. Under Minnesota election law, voters must be U.S. citizens; the office said its goal is for every eligible Minnesota voter to know how and where to vote.
The dispute stems from a clip of Hazelelip's October 26 interview on Somali-language television. She explained that registered voters need not bring any identification to an early voting site, that voting sites are usually at county government offices or city halls, and that larger jurisdictions such as Minneapolis also have sites at libraries and community centers; unregistered voters could still register on the same day with an updated Minnesota ID or documents from the list on the Secretary of State's website.
After social media accounts shared the clip, it drew about 750,000 views and criticism from some users who said the presentation did not emphasize the citizenship requirement on the spot. The office said it provides election-law information and resources to hundreds of nonpartisan community groups every year, that Hazelelip's presentation complied with state law, and that the "no ID" point applies only to voters whose registration is already valid and on the rolls; same-day registration still requires proof of residence and other documents. Election Day is Tuesday, November 3.
(Source: Conservative Institute)
Source: Conservative Institute
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：明尼苏达州议会大厦。Michael Barera 摄，CC BY-SA 4.0，经 Wikimedia Commons。 / Photo: the Minnesota State Capitol. By Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
