The Radical Reading Room

Two conservative activists, James Edward O’Keefe and Cam Higby, were charged Wednesday, Oct. 28, with felony unlawful-voting and identity-theft offenses in Minnesota, prosecutors said. The charges concern an undercover video recorded at a polling place in August, where the pair interacted with election workers during the state’s primary voting, according to the reports.

Prosecutors allege O’Keefe and Higby gave poll workers the names of registered voters in that precinct without those voters’ knowledge or permission while seeking ballots. The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office says they intentionally misrepresented their identities. The reports describe charges and allegations; neither reports a conviction.

The video was presented as an effort to expose vulnerabilities in Minnesota’s voting system, an aim attributed to the activists in both accounts. The incident involved the state’s “vouching” process: a registered voter may vouch for another voter in the same precinct, and may do so for up to eight people. The process is intended to help people who need to establish a current address to register and vote.

Both reports say the men wore costumes resembling Muslim attire and used fake accents while filming their interactions. The charges were announced by Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty on Wednesday. The reports do not identify a court date or describe a plea by either man.