Minnesota's “Vouching” Law Explained By Poll Workers On Election Day
James O'Keefe and company went into Minneapolis polling places during the state's primary election dressed in “traditional Muslim attire.”
They asked poll workers a simple question. Can a registered voter vouch for someone who isn't registered and has no ID?
The answer was yes. “You're the ID,” as one worker put it. Another explains, “If you're all in the same precinct and you are already registered, you can vouch for them as ID. Eight people.”
CAUGHT INSIDE MINNEAPOLIS POLLING BOOTHS: Minnesota Poll Workers Tell O’Keefe, Dressed in Muslim Garb, & @camhigby, in a Burka, That They Can Vouch for Eight Unregistered Voters Without ID, Allowing Them to Vote in Minnesota Primary Election
Election worker says, “You’re the… pic.twitter.com/bUPVxym08G
— James O'Keefe (@JamesOKeefeIII) August 13, 2026
And the poll workers weren't lying or making things up. It's Minnesota law, and it's been on the books for decades.
Turns Out, It's Actually Legal
Under Minnesota Statute 201.061, a person can register to vote on Election Day right at the polls. One way to prove where you live is to have a registered voter from your same precinct sign an oath saying they personally know you live there.
That registered voter can do this for up to eight people on a single election day. No photo ID is required for the unregistered voter; just another person's word, under oath.
They call it “vouching,” and it's been part of Minnesota law for more than 50 years.
Trust, But Verify (Or Maybe Not)
Minnesota officials say vouching is rarely used and comes with real accountability.
Both the voucher and the person being vouched for sign statements under penalty of law. Lying on that oath is a felony.
Secretary of State Steve Simon's office has pointed out that fewer than 0.6 percent of voters in the 2024 general election used this method, and many of those were people simply updating an address, like a senior moving into a care facility.
Regardless, this system runs on trust, not documents. There's no driver's license to check, no utility bill to verify on the spot.
It's one person's word for another person's word, and the ballot counts right away.
Critics, including some Republican officials and outside legal groups, argue that's a lot of faith to put in a process with almost no paper trail until after the fact.
Nevada Does It Differently. Here's How.
We don't have same-day vouching like Minnesota in our state.
Nevada requires voter registration ahead of time, and same-day registration here still requires proof of identity and residence, not just another voter's oath.
But this video is a good reminder of why Nevada conservatives keep fighting to protect stronger election safeguards. Once you loosen the rules in the name of “access,” it gets a lot harder to explain to voters why the system deserves their trust.
This is what happens when “access” gets more attention than “accuracy.” Minnesota proved it on camera.
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