Somali Minnesotans turn to the ballot box to push back

As Minnesota sees a surge in early voting ahead of Election Day, Somali community leaders and state representatives say many Somali Minnesotans are motivated to cast their ballots amid concerns about federal immigration enforcement and rhetoric targeting their community.

Early voting in Minnesota is far outpacing the pace set during the 2022 midterm elections. As of Oct. 22, election officials had accepted 419,189 ballots statewide, a roughly 49% increase over the 282,277 ballots cast during the same period in 2022, according to the Minnesota secretary of state's office.

The trend is also evident in Minneapolis. By the close of business Oct. 28, the city had accepted 52,661 early and absentee ballots, setting a record for a nonpresidential election year. That was nearly 80% higher than the 29,290 ballots accepted at the same point in 2022, according to the city.

State Reps. Anquam Mahamoud and Mohamud Noor, both DFL-Minneapolis, say Somali Minnesotans in their districts and across the state are showing an eagerness to vote that feels different this year. Mahamoud represents a district that includes the Powderhorn and Nokomis neighborhoods, while Noor represents the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood.

Rep. Anquam Mahamoud, DFL-Minneapolis, says Somali Minnesotans across the state are showing increased enthusiasm for early voting.

In 2024 and this year, Mahamoud has been tasked with supporting DFL candidates in a highly competitive Minnesota House district that includes St. Cloud. The effort is part of a strategy known as “sister districts,” in which the party concentrates support on competitive districts.

St. Cloud has a sizable Somali population of nearly 4,500 people.

“It took a lot of convincing trying to get people to go out to vote last time around,” Mahamoud said about door-knocking. “We're not really doing much convincing other than just reminding people to vote, and they're so eager and excited to go out and vote.”

Operation Metro Surge, a federal immigration enforcement operation that began last December, was a terrifying and violent deployment of federal agents for many Minnesotans. Mahamoud and Noor say the federal government's targeting of Minnesota and dehumanizing rhetoric about Somalis from the Trump administration are motivating Somali Minnesotans to express their discontent at the ballot box — and to vote early.

Mahamoud said most Somalis identify as Democrats, while some who voted Republican are expressing regret. Others, she said, feel deeply unsafe.

“Those who voted Republican feel betrayed and feel that they were lied to. They voted for Trump believing no more wars and that he would help the people of Gaza. That was a big part as to why they voted for Trump,” Mahamoud said. “It wasn't the majority, it was actually a small number who did. But now, you knock the doors and they [say], ‘We don't even talk about Trump.’”

Somali Minnesotans are also contributing to the state's surge in early voting, Mahamoud said.

“We talked to a number of people who said that they've already gone out to vote,” she said.

Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon has said while travelling across the state, the most freqent concern he hears from voters is about the presence of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents and other federal personnel at polling places.

Although federal law prohibits certain forms of voter intimidation and interference, the Minneapolis representatives say Somali residents in their communities are voting early to avoid anxiety on Election Day.

“I think that is why we are seeing a lot of people come out early, is to try to avoid the day-of — so that they are not dealing with people harassing them or making people feel uncomfortable. There's a lot of fear and tension around that,” Mahamoud said.

The city of Minneapolis has an interactive map tracking early voting numbers by ward and precinct ahead of Election Day.

Rep. Mohamud Noor, DFL-Minneapolis, wants to engage younger Somali Minnesotans in the political process and encouraging them to make their voices heard at the ballot box.

Noor said that although early voting turnout is strong in his community, he has also heard from young adults who feel disengaged from the political process. 

“We need to get the young people who are not traditionally voters in the midterm. That's across the board. That's the piece that is missing,” Noor said.

He hopes to see a more concentrated effort in the final days before Election Day on Tuesday to help younger adults, particularly those in the Somali community, understand why their votes matter.

“I tell them, 'Other people are depending on you not voting so they can win and use it against you,'” Noor said. “I tell them, ‘If you accept what they're calling you, then don't vote.’ I think there's momentum building up. The parents are the ones who are pushing them now to go vote.”