New Jersey Sees Noncitizens Added to Voter Rolls Due to Software Error

Recently, New Jersey officials reported that over 6,000 noncitizens were mistakenly registered to vote due to a software glitch. This revelation was brought to light by Governor Mikie Sherrill on Tuesday.

Between June 2023 and June 2024, approximately 6,600 individuals who identified themselves as noncitizens were enrolled on the voter rolls via New Jersey’s Motor Vehicle System (MVS). Sherrill noted that these individuals answered “no” when asked about their U.S. citizenship but were still included on the lists.

“But we want to make sure that all ineligible voters are off the rolls before our next election,” Sherrill stated.

The governor shared that, based on an initial analysis, fewer than 400 of those registered due to the error had actually voted in elections. However, details about which elections they participated in remain undisclosed, as the investigation is still ongoing. It is believed that they were registered with both the Democratic and Republican parties, although most were categorized as unaffiliated.

This situation arises after a recent announcement from Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, who indicated that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) sent letters to officials in four states regarding significant numbers of noncitizens on voter rolls.

In New Jersey, DHS claimed there were more than 35,000 noncitizens officially registered to vote. However, Sherrill pointed out that the DHS did not clarify how they arrived at that figure.

Ensuring electoral integrity has been a major focus of the Trump administration. In contrast, Sherrill accused the administration of “weaponizing elections for political gain,” asserting that her actions are meant to secure fair elections.

In a response from the White House, the administration placed responsibility for the issue on Democrats.

“This is the direct result of Democrat policies that refuse basic citizenship checks—and exactly why Congress must pass the SAVE America Act immediately,” the statement read.