James O'Keefe and Cam Higby Charged Over Minnesota Voting Stunt
Felony charges against two conservative influencers turn an effort to expose alleged election security weaknesses into a criminal case over their own conduct at Minnesota polling places.
By Hushread Stories, from 11 outlets · First published 28 Oct 2026
In brief
- James O'Keefe and Cam Higby face felony charges in Minnesota over conduct during the state's primary elections.
- The charges include unlawful voting and identity theft tied to alleged attempts to vote using other people's names.
- Prosecutors alleged the pair misrepresented their identities by giving election judges the names of other people.
- The activists said they were testing Minnesota's voter voucher law through an undercover election security stunt.
- The criminal case remains ongoing, and the supplied coverage does not give a date for the next hearing.
Timeline · 3 moments
Prosecutors allege pair gave judges others' names
BBC News ↗O'Keefe and Higby face felony charges in Minnesota
Forbes ↗O'Keefe and Higby charged with felony voting offenses
NBC News ↗Update 29 Oct 2026, 4:58 am UTC
The newer coverage adds prosecutors' allegation that James O'Keefe and Cam Higby misrepresented their identities by giving election judges other people's names. The supplied reports do not change the headline's central fact that both men have been charged.
How it started
The activists described their operation as a test of Minnesota's voter voucher law, which is 53 years old, according to CBS Top Stories. They called themselves the Citizen Justice League.
James O'Keefe and Cam Higby posted videos of an undercover stunt intended to expose alleged deficiencies in election security, ABC News reported. That stated aim is separate from whether their methods broke the law.
How it unfolded
The conduct at issue took place during Minnesota's August primary. Videos showed activists claiming to be registered voters, according to CBS Top Stories.
The Hill reported that O'Keefe and Higby misrepresented themselves using registered voters' names at polling places. The New York Times described them as posing as Islamic voters.
On Wednesday, October 28, a Minnesota district attorney charged O'Keefe and Higby with felony counts of unlawful voting and identity theft, according to NBC News.
Where it stands
The case is now a criminal prosecution, with the allegations still to be resolved. The charges reported by NBC News are accusations, not findings of guilt.
The Daily Beast Latest Articles also reported that O'Keefe and another person were arrested after attempting to cast votes at a Minnesota polling place. The supplied coverage does not establish their current custody status or provide a date for the next hearing.
What to watch
The pending question is how the unlawful voting and identity theft allegations will be resolved in court. The supplied reports do not give a court timetable or describe the defendants' formal responses to the charges.
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