Skip to main content
CadNews - Comparative News Analysis
Topics
Sign in
Back to brief

Politics · October 28, 2026

Right-wing activist James O'Keefe charged with unlawful voting, identity theft

12 sources →

Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty announced felony charges against conservative activists James O’Keefe and Cam Higby on Wednesday, following an August 11 undercover operation at Minnesota polling places. The charges include unlawful voting and identity theft. According to prosecutors, the pair used disguises and hidden cameras while providing the names of registered voters to election judges without those individuals' consent. The incident occurred during Minnesota’s primary election and was intended to highlight alleged vulnerabilities in the state's 'vouching' law, which allows registered voters to verify the identity of those without valid IDs. While the activists did not sign ballots or cast votes, the prosecutor noted that intentionally misrepresenting one's identity when applying for a ballot is a violation of state law.

Read the original coverage

Reported across the spectrum

  • Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty announced charges against James O’Keefe and Cam Higby on Wednesday.
  • The charges filed are felony counts of unlawful voting and identity theft.
  • The incident took place during the Minnesota state primary election on August 11.
  • The pair used hidden cameras and disguises during their operation at polling places.
  • O’Keefe and Higby represented themselves using the names of registered voters without those voters' permission.
  • The activists did not sign the final oath or actually cast a ballot.

Reported by only some outlets

  • Cam Higby wore a black abaya and O’Keefe wore a white thobe and kufi, both attempting to pose as Muslims.
  • The identity theft and unlawful voting charges each carry a maximum five-year prison sentence.
  • The operation targeted Minnesota's 'vouching' law, which allows one registered voter to vouch for up to eight others.
  • The complaints allege the pair used the identities of four specific registered voters.
  • The defendants are scheduled to appear in court in November.

FreeDaily Brief newsletter

Get the 5-minute Daily Brief, with the topics you pick.

The Daily Brief is free

About these outlets

CadNews does not determine absolute truth or endorse political viewpoints. It compares publicly available reporting, identifies shared facts, highlights framing differences, and flags uncertainty.