RNC Threatens Legal Action Over New Jersey Voter Rolls

The Republican National Committee (RNC) is intensifying its dispute with election officials in New Jersey concerning voter roll records, hinting at possible legal actions to acquire information about noncitizens listed in the state’s voter registry.

On Wednesday, the RNC issued formal notices regarding potential violations of the National Voter Registration Act to New Jersey’s secretary of state and election officials in several counties, including Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Middlesex, Somerset, and Union.

They are requesting documents related to the removal of noncitizen voters, measures taken to verify citizenship, and other maintenance activities related to the voter rolls. According to the RNC, officials have until September 15 to fulfill this request or risk facing legal consequences.

RNC Chairman Joe Gruters commented on the situation, stating, “Democratic Gov. Mikie Sherrill has confirmed what we previously discovered: Noncitizens are on New Jersey’s voter rolls. Yet, election officials are withholding records that clarify how this occurred.” He emphasized that voters are entitled to answers and warned that failure to comply could lead to legal repercussions.

Reports indicate that records from Bergen County have identified 134 noncitizens purged from New Jersey’s voter rolls from January 2023 to August 2026. The RNC noted that out of these, 91 registrations were connected to the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC).

Furthermore, the Sherrill administration has acknowledged that a software error at the MVC led to the invalid registration of about 6,600 individuals between June 2023 and June 2024, before Sherrill took office.

Sherrill’s office has revealed that approximately 5,100 of those affected were removed from the rolls due to a lack of sufficient registration or eligibility verification. Additionally, about 1,450 registrations are currently on hold pending further review by county election officials.

The state has found that around 340 individuals who were newly registered due to the software problem cast their votes. Another 220 who had previously registered, alongside some attestations indicating they might have been validly registered, also participated in the election.

Sherrill mentioned that county officials have been tasked with resolving the remaining cases before the upcoming November election.

While Sherrill has criticized what she perceives as an attempt by the Trump administration to exert more control over state voter rolls, her office continues to investigate the MVC error.

Neither the RNC nor the New Jersey Secretary of State’s office provided immediate comments regarding the situation.