Conservative influencers charged with voter fraud in Minnesota primary

Key Points:

• Hennepin County prosecutors charged conservative activist James O’Keefe and Cameron Higby with felonies for unlawful voting and identity theft after they misrepresented themselves to election judges during Minnesota’s August 11 primary.
• Prosecutors allege O’Keefe and Higby used names of deceased residents and at least one registered voter while attempting to test Minnesota’s voter vouching system, which allows registered voters to vouch for unregistered voters at the polls.
• Videos posted by O’Keefe’s group show them wearing disguises and questioning poll workers about voting without IDs and vouching for unregistered voters, but officials confirmed no ballots were cast by them.
• Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon praised poll workers for following election laws and emphasized that attempts to deceive election workers undermine the integrity of the voting process and will not be tolerated.
• O’Keefe and Higby’s initial court appearance is scheduled for November 16, and prosecutors stressed that misrepresenting identity at polling places constitutes a felony offense under state law.