Activists from the Florida-based Citizen Justice League, a group led by James O’Keefe, face potential legal scrutiny after filming themselves allegedly posing as registered voters during a Minnesota primary election. The group stated the undercover operation was intended to test Minnesota’s 53-year-old voter voucher law. However, state officials and legal experts noted that the recorded actions may have violated state statutes regarding voter impersonation.
Minnesota law allows a registered voter to "vouch" for the residency of another individual to help new residents participate in elections. The law does not permit individuals to misrepresent their identity to election workers. In the video, which has received over 7 million views, participants reportedly wore costumes and used fake accents. One individual in the footage, identified by sources as O’Keefe, claimed to be a registered voter named William Pomeranz.
The real William Pomeranz told CBS News Minnesota that he learned his identity had been used when a student contacted him on a Friday regarding the online video. Pomeranz stated that he was able to cast his own ballot on election evening without issue and credited poll workers for reporting the incident. The activists did not proceed with casting illegal votes during the recorded encounter.
Under Minnesota statute, impersonating a voter at a polling place is classified as a felony. An individual convicted of this offense faces a maximum penalty of seven years in prison and a fine of up to $20,000. While the activists described their actions as an investigation into the voucher system, legal experts like Hamline University professor David Schultz stated that filming oneself claiming the identity of another registered voter appears to meet the criteria for a criminal violation.
The incident highlights the operational procedures of poll workers, who are trained to identify and report irregularities during the voting process. Secretary of State Simon and constitutional law experts indicated that the detection of the activists by poll workers demonstrates that current safeguards are functional. The next steps in the matter involve potential law enforcement review of the footage; however, specific court dates or charges have not been reported. James O'Keefe was previously the leader of Project Veritas, a group known for undercover recordings, but he was removed from that organization in 2023.