Minnesota Republicans and the Republican National Committee are calling for an investigation after a non-citizen came forward claiming he received a primary election ballot in the mail without registering to vote.
In an incident described as “possibly not an isolated incident,” a noncitizen who was legally resident in Minnesota reported to the state Republican Party that he had not registered to vote or requested a ballot, despite being currently on Minnesota’s voter rolls and having received a primary election ballot in the mail. The individual claimed he did not know how the ballot was sent and was concerned that it might affect his residency or future citizenship eligibility.
Kevin Cline, election integrity counsel for the Republican National Committee, and David Hann, chairman of the Republican Party of Minnesota, brought the issue to the attention of Minnesota Secretary of State Steven Simon in a letter last week, calling for an immediate review of voter rolls to ensure that only eligible voters are registered and receiving ballots, and for a full investigation and immediate remediation.
Minnesota Democratic Governor Tim Walz, who recently became Kamala Harris’s vice presidential running mate, signed a law called “Drivers’ Licenses for All” in March 2023 that would allow state residents to obtain a driver’s license regardless of their immigration status. At the time, the governor said there were 81,000 undocumented immigrants in Minnesota, so the law would “increase safety throughout Minnesota.”
Harris’ vice presidential pick: Minnesota Governor Tim Walz showered illegal immigrants with a taxpayer-funded “charity blanket”
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz speaks during a campaign rally with Kamala Harris at Temple University on August 6, 2024 in Philadelphia. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
“The risk of noncitizens participating in voting activities in Minnesota has never been greater,” Cline and Hann wrote. “After the passage of HF4-2023, individuals seeking to apply for a Minnesota driver’s license or identification card will no longer be required to provide proof of citizenship or legal residency.”
Republicans argued that county election officials rely on the state voter registration system to verify voter eligibility.
“Is the SVRS system able to keep up with recent changes in Minnesota law regarding ‘driver’s licenses for all?'” they asked the Minnesota Secretary of State. “Does your office verify the eligibility of individuals who are automatically registered when a person interacts with state authorities?”
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz speaks during a campaign rally in Detroit on August 7, 2024. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
26 days until the election begins: The election season starts earlier than you think
The incident, in which the non-citizen allegedly received a primary ballot, “demonstrates that the system designed to ensure that non-citizens are not allowed to vote in Minnesota may have serious flaws or that the staff responsible for ensuring that only eligible voters are registered to vote may have neglected their duties,” the letter said. “To our knowledge, legislation to provide automatic voter registration has yet to occur. What steps has your office taken to ensure that only American citizens are placed on the voter rolls?”
Vice President Kamala Harris and Governor Tim Walz at Temple University in Philadelphia on August 6, 2024. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
The letter set a deadline of Monday, August 12, for Simon’s office to provide the RNC and the Republican Party of Minnesota with “information about the protocols and standard procedures your office uses to ensure that non-citizens are not registered to vote, let alone receive unsolicited ballots.”
The letter also calls on Simon’s office to “immediately review all voter registrations in the SVRS to ensure that only eligible voters are registered to vote and receive ballots.”
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
“This is a potentially catastrophic failure of the voter registration system,” Cline and Hann wrote. “We urge you to take immediate action to investigate the cause and immediately remedy the situation. Full transparency in these processes is the only way to ensure the trust in elections that the people of Minnesota deserve.”
Fox News Digital reached out to Simon and Walz’s offices for comment but did not immediately receive a response.
