HENNEPIN COUNTY, MN — A conservative activist known for hidden-camera videos and a fellow content creator are facing felony charges after prosecutors say they used other people's names to apply for ballots at Hennepin County polling places during Minnesota's August primary, then posted videos of the encounters online.
James Edward O'Keefe, 42, and Cam Higby, 26, were each charged Wednesday with unlawful voting and identity theft, the Hennepin County Attorney's Office announced.
Both men visited multiple precincts in Hennepin County during the Aug. 11 primary and gave election judges the names of registered voters in those precincts. Prosecutors said those voters did not know about it or give permission.
The office said the two men filmed themselves and shared the videos online in an effort to sow doubt about the security of Minnesota's voting systems.
Under Minnesota law, no one may intentionally misrepresent their identity when applying for a ballot, depositing a ballot in a ballot box or trying to vote using a voting machine or electronic voting system, the office noted. Prosecutors said neither man signed the oath, but both intentionally misrepresented who they were when applying for ballots.
"Elections are the bedrock of democracy and their protection is one of our highest priorities. Individuals engaging in unlawful conduct related to our elections will be held accountable," Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said in a statement.
"Our office has had regular meetings with Hennepin County Elections staff in preparation for both the primary and the general elections this year and we are fully prepared."
Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon said polling places "should be places of safety and peace."
"Any attempt to disrupt or deceive our election workers will not be tolerated," Simon said. "We are grateful to our law enforcement partners for holding these individuals to account."
The New York Times reported that the two men dressed in mock Islamic clothing and spoke with fake accents at a Minneapolis polling place to draw attention to the state's vouching law, which allows a registered voter to vouch for up to eight people who recently moved into a precinct. No ballots were cast fraudulently during the stunt, and each charge carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison, according to the newspaper. Simon had condemned the men's references to Muslim culture as offensive.
Higby denied wrongdoing in a statement to the Times, saying, "I never voted, I never signed an affidavit, and I never violated a law." He launched an online fundraiser seeking $20,000 shortly after the charges were announced. The Times was unable to reach O'Keefe or his attorney.
O'Keefe founded Project Veritas, a conservative outlet known for hidden-camera operations, before the group's board fired him in 2023.
He now runs O'Keefe Media Group. Higby is an independent YouTuber and podcaster who previously worked for conservative news outlets.
Simon's office told the Times that Minnesota's vouching law has been in place for more than 50 years and has strong safeguards built in.
Fewer than 0.6 percent of voters used vouching in the 2024 general election, according to the office.
A voter who is vouched for still has to prove their identity and eligibility with a document such as a Minnesota driver's license, along with the last four digits of their Social Security number.
Vouching is commonly used by residents of senior living facilities who haven't updated their address on their ID, the Times reported.
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