The Republican National Committee (RNC) and Minnesota GOP are pressing for answers regarding the presence of noncitizens on Minnesota's voter rolls.

According to a report by Fox News, the issue has come to light following the implementation of an automatic voter registration system under Governor Tim Walz's administration.

The controversy began when a noncitizen legally residing in Minnesota reported receiving a primary ballot without having registered to vote. This incident prompted the RNC and Minnesota GOP to seek explanations from the state's Department of Public Safety, questioning the integrity of the voter registration process.

Automatic Voter Registration System Under Scrutiny

In March 2023, Governor Walz signed legislation allowing illegal noncitizens to obtain driver's licenses. Two months later, he approved the "Democracy for the People Act," which established automatic voter registration through the Department of Vehicle Services (DVS). These actions have raised concerns about the potential for noncitizens to be inadvertently added to voter rolls.

Minnesota Department of Public Safety Commissioner Bob Jacobson responded to initial inquiries, detailing the steps taken to ensure only U.S. citizens' information is forwarded for voter registration. However, the RNC and Minnesota GOP found this explanation insufficient, leading to a follow-up letter on September 5, 2024.

In their latest communication, Kevin Cline, election integrity counsel for the RNC, and David Hann, chairman of the Minnesota Republican Party, expressed their dissatisfaction with the state's response. They emphasized the need for greater transparency and a thorough investigation into how noncitizens managed to bypass the existing safeguards.

Republican Concerns Over Voter Integrity

The RNC and Minnesota GOP are particularly troubled by the timing and sequence of events surrounding the implementation of the automatic voter registration system. They argue that the close proximity between allowing non-citizens to obtain driver's licenses and instituting automatic voter registration creates an appearance of facilitating noncitizen voting.

Cline and Hann stated in their letter:

This is no hypothetical; lawfully present noncitizens were registered to vote through your department, and Minnesota voters deserve transparency from your department to understand how this failure occurred and how it is being addressed.

The Republican officials further expressed their concern about the potential impact on the integrity of Minnesota's elections, especially with the upcoming November 2024 vote on the horizon.

Demands For Transparency And Accountability

In their correspondence, the RNC and Minnesota GOP have outlined several specific questions they want answered. These include details about when citizenship checks were implemented, the timeline and scope of the manual review process mentioned by Commissioner Jacobson, and the reporting procedures to the Office of the Secretary of State.

Additionally, they are seeking information on whether there has been any pressure from the Governor's Office to expedite the voter registration process. The Republicans argue that a comprehensive review of the automatic voter registration system should have been conducted regularly since its implementation rather than as a response to their inquiries.

RNC Chairman Michael Whatley weighed in on the issue, criticizing Governor Walz's policies:

Walz is completely aligned with Kamala's radical agenda, opening the invasion at the border and giving illegal aliens free health care, free tuition and drivers licenses. This is a clear plan by the Democrats, as they continually put non-citizens first and Americans last. We are holding Walz and his administration accountable and demand a full review and removal of the non-citizens they have allowed on the voter rolls. Minnesotans, and Americans, deserve much better than the cancelation of their votes by Kamala and Walz.

Implications For Upcoming Elections And Voter Confidence

The controversy surrounding noncitizen voter registration in Minnesota has broader implications for voter confidence and election integrity. With Governor Walz now serving as the Democratic vice presidential nominee, the issue has taken on national significance.

The Republican National Committee and Minnesota's GOP are pressing for immediate measures to address perceived weaknesses in Minnesota's voter registration system. They contend that if these issues remain unresolved, it could potentially diminish the impact of legitimate votes and erode public confidence in the electoral process.

The GOP leaders emphasized the urgency of the situation, stressing that Minnesota voters shouldn't have their electoral influence diminished due to administrative oversights in the automatic voter registration system.

They acknowledged that errors have occurred in either the design or implementation of the AVR system. However, they maintain that there's still time to increase transparency and rectify these problems before the upcoming November election.

Their appeal underscores the importance of maintaining the integrity of the voting process and ensuring that only eligible citizens participate in elections. The GOP's stance reflects broader concerns about the accuracy and reliability of voter registration systems, particularly in light of the approaching election season.

Conclusion

The Republican National Committee and Minnesota GOP are demanding answers from Governor Tim Walz's administration regarding the presence of noncitizens on Minnesota's voter rolls. They argue that the state's automatic voter registration system, implemented in 2023, is vulnerable to illegal registrations. The controversy arose after a noncitizen reported receiving a primary ballot without registering to vote. Republicans are calling for transparency, a thorough review of the registration process, and immediate action to address potential flaws in the system before the November 2024 election.