A recent discovery in New Jersey has revealed that thousands of noncitizens were registered to vote in the state, with some even casting ballots in past elections. The registration of these individuals was attributed to a software error in the state's Motor Vehicle System, which occurred between June 2023 and June 2024. Approximately 6,600 people who indicated they were not US citizens were registered to vote despite answering "no" to the citizenship question when applying for drivers' licenses and identification cards.
The error was acknowledged by Democratic Governor Mikie Sherrill, who stated that the individuals were registered through no fault of their own. She ordered an investigation into the matter and the removal of the illegally-registered voters from the rolls. Preliminary analysis showed that fewer than 400 individuals who were newly registered due to the error had voted, with these individuals registered as Democrats, Republicans, and Unaffiliated voters across the state.
Governor Sherrill expressed concern over the "reckless failures" that allowed the error to occur, emphasizing that the improper voting did not happen during her administration. However, her comments were met with criticism from an elected New Jersey official, who argued that Democrats had failed to secure elections and that voter ID laws could have prevented the issue. The official stated that New Jersey needs voter ID to ensure confidence in election results.
Republican leaders also criticized Governor Sherrill's handling of the issue, with one spokesperson arguing that the governor's classification of the issue was inadequate. The spokesperson pointed to previous instances of noncitizens being registered to vote in the state, with some even voting in elections. These cases were uncovered by the Republican National Committee and the New Jersey Republican Party, which requested voter rolls from all 21 counties in the state.
The investigation found multiple instances of noncitizens who were seeking naturalization and had been unknowingly registered to vote. Many of these individuals were registered as Democrats and had asked to be removed from the voter rolls, citing that they were not citizens. Official documents, including letters and state voter registration cancellation forms, confirmed these requests and highlighted the need for improved election integrity measures.
