Each year, roughly 75,000 noncitizens are added to jury summons lists in New Jersey, according to newly released judiciary data.
The state’s jury system pulls potential jurors from the Division of Elections, the Division of Taxation, and the Motor Vehicle Commission. About twenty percent of those called fail at least one eligibility requirement, and one‑quarter of those disqualifications are due to noncitizenship.
Only United States citizens may serve on a jury. To prevent noncitizens from participating, prospective jurors complete a qualification questionnaire that asks about citizenship, and they are reminded of eligibility rules during orientation and by the judge and attorneys during selection.
Despite these safeguards, no evidence has surfaced that a noncitizen has served on a jury in recent years, yet the annual inclusion of 75,000 noncitizens continues.
The recurring misidentification of noncitizens in jury pools highlights broader concerns about the reliability of government databases used for civic participation.
Earlier this year, a software error in the motor‑vehicle system added approximately 6,600 noncitizens to voter rolls, and fewer than 400 of those individuals cast ballots.
The software provider responsible for transmitting registration data maintains that it only forwards applications, while the state’s election division retains final responsibility for validating eligibility.
Automatic voter registration linked to the motor‑vehicle system lacks real‑time citizenship verification, a flaw that has also affected jury selection.
These incidents underscore the need for comprehensive reforms to ensure that only eligible citizens participate in both elections and jury service.
