Conservative activists O'Keefe, Higby charged with unlawful voting in Minnesota
Context:
Conservative activists James O’Keefe and Cam Higby were charged with unlawful voting and identity theft in Minnesota after they provided false names to poll workers during the Aug. primary as part of an undercover video exposing the vouching process. Prosecutors say they dressed in costumes, used registered voters’ names, and initiated the vouching procedure, prompting suspicion from election staff and an investigation. The case highlights Minnesota’s vouching rules, which allow a registered voter to attest to another’s identity if certain documentation is provided, though the pair did not complete the oath. Officials warn that the charges reflect ongoing scrutiny of voting safeguards, with next steps likely involving legal proceedings and broader debates over election integrity.
Dive Deeper:
O’Keefe, 42, of West Palm Beach, Florida, and Cam Higby, 26, of Covington, Washington, were charged with felony unlawful voting and identity theft in Minnesota related to their Aug. 11 primary activities.
They recorded encounters at multiple Minneapolis polling sites for a video and wore costumes while using the names of registered voters to start the vouching process, according to Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty.
Poll workers grew suspicious, reported the behavior, and officials opened an investigation; Moriarty asserted the system for identifying misconduct functioned properly in the primary.
Minnesota’s vouching process allows a registered voter to vouch for another in the same precinct, provided both sign oaths and the voter provides ID or partial identifying information; the process is rarely used and skews toward older residents.
In the November 2024 election, fewer than 0.6% of votes used the vouching mechanism, underscoring its limited role and the heightened focus on its integrity.
O’Keefe Media Group released the video and a statement defending the investigation as an examination of the system, while election experts noted impersonating a voter is a serious crime and discussed broader concerns about fraud claims.