New Jersey Finds 6,600 Noncitizens on Voter Rolls Amid DOJ Scrutiny

New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill announced that a software error in the state’s motor vehicle system led to the registration of approximately 6,600 people who indicated they were not U.S. citizens between June 2023 and June 2024. Sherrill said the error occurred when individuals applying for drivers’ licenses or identification cards answered 'no' to a citizenship question but were registered to vote regardless.

Explainer Election Integrity in America: Safeguarding Voter Trust and Ballot Security

The discovery has heightened tensions over election security, as lawmakers and federal officials debate how to prevent unauthorized registrations and voting.

The issue comes as the Department of Justice (DOJ) has sued New Jersey and other states for failing to provide full voter registration lists, citing the need for transparency and proper voter roll maintenance. According to the DOJ, New Jersey is among 29 states and the District of Columbia facing litigation over access to voter rolls, which the department says is essential for election integrity. Attorney General Pamela Bondi stated, “Accurate, well-maintained voter rolls are a requisite for the election integrity that the American people deserve.” Justice Department press release

How the Error Occurred

Governor Sherrill explained that the registrations resulted from a technical problem with the state’s motor vehicle system. She said the individuals affected had answered 'no' when asked about their citizenship status, but the system registered them to vote anyway. Sherrill, who was not in office at the time of the error, emphasized that the registrations were not the fault of the individuals involved.

A preliminary review by the governor’s office found that fewer than 400 of those newly registered due to the error actually voted. Sherrill said her administration is working to remove any residents who were erroneously added to the voter rolls and is in the process of replacing the vendor responsible for the system.

"Let me be clear: Donald Trump has zero credibility on the issue of election integrity. For more than ten years, he has worked to undermine Americans’ faith in our elections by spreading lies about legitimate election results, attempting to overturn a free and fair election, encouraging an attack on our Capitol when he couldn’t accept the will of the voters, and defunding election security at the federal level."

— Mikie Sherrill, Governor of New Jersey

Federal and State Responses

The DOJ’s ongoing lawsuits against states, including New Jersey, center on the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (NVRA), which requires states to offer voter registration at motor vehicle agencies and maintain accurate voter rolls. The NVRA also mandates that states provide voter registration lists upon request, a requirement the DOJ says New Jersey and others have not met. DOJ NVRA guidance

Republicans, including former President Donald Trump, have long argued that vulnerabilities in the voter registration system allow noncitizens to register and vote. They point to incidents like the New Jersey error as evidence for stricter requirements, such as documentary proof of citizenship and voter ID laws. The Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) America Act, which would amend the NVRA to require such proof, has been promoted by Republicans but faces opposition from most Democrats and some Republicans.

Sherrill, while acknowledging the registration issue, distanced her administration’s response from Trump’s claims, saying her actions are aimed at protecting elections rather than advancing partisan narratives.

Ongoing Debate Over Voter ID

The incident has intensified debate over voter ID and registration requirements. Supporters of stricter laws argue that the New Jersey case demonstrates the need for reforms like those proposed in the SAVE America Act. Critics, including many Democrats, maintain that such measures could restrict access to voting and are unnecessary given the low number of improper votes identified.

The DOJ’s lawsuits against states over voter roll transparency are ongoing, with federal officials emphasizing the importance of accurate records for election security. New Jersey officials have not yet indicated whether they will change their position on voter ID or documentary proof of citizenship in response to the incident.

The state is currently removing the erroneously registered individuals from its voter rolls and replacing the system vendor responsible for the error.