NJ removes 5,100 noncitizens from voter rolls after MVC software error
Governor Mikie Sherrill announced Wednesday that New Jersey has removed thousands of ineligible voters following a registration glitch at the Motor Vehicle Commission.
Governor Mikie Sherrill announced on Wednesday that state officials have removed 5,100 noncitizens from voter rolls across New Jersey. This action is part of an ongoing effort to address the discovery that individuals who were not eligible had been erroneously registered to cast ballots in recent elections.
State officials confirmed that approximately 340 of the voters registered through this specific error managed to cast ballots in previous election cycles. The announcement followed a July revelation by the Sherrill administration regarding roughly 6,600 noncitizens who were initially found on registration lists due to a flawed software system.
How the Registration Error Occurred
The registration errors took place between June 2023 and June 2024 while Phil Murphy served as governor. Individuals applied for identification at Motor Vehicle Commission sites but indicated they were not U.S. citizens, yet a software flaw still registered them to vote.
In addition to the 5,100 voters removed from the rolls, approximately 1,450 other individuals had their registration status changed to rejected. These people are currently prevented from voting pending additional review by county election officials who must verify their eligibility before they can participate again.
Political Reactions and Federal Claims
The revelation of these errors drew sharp criticism from local and national Republicans regarding the integrity of state elections. Governor Sherrill pushed back against this criticism on Wednesday, stating her commitment to confronting the issue with urgency to ensure strong and fair elections for New Jersey residents.
Sherrill contrasted her administration's approach with that of President Donald Trump and Republican officials, whom she accused of trying to use the issue solely for political gain. She emphasized that her team has been working around the clock on remediation efforts while reviewing records with a fine-toothed comb.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security responded to the state's cleanup efforts by claiming a significantly higher number of noncitizens had registered in New Jersey. DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin stated that his agency identified 35,000 potential registered aliens and suggested this figure might only be the beginning.
New Jersey officials said they asked for proof from President Trump's administration regarding the claim of 35,000 noncitizens but have not received any additional information to support that number. The state maintains its own findings based on a detailed review of records within their specific systems and databases.
System Outage and Data Review
Earlier this month, the Statewide Voter Registration System was shut down for two days without an initial explanation from officials. There was speculation among residents that the outage was connected to the voter registration scandal involving noncitizens on the rolls.
Sherrill's office later clarified that the system was taken offline so the Division of Elections could back up and edit voter records safely. This temporary shutdown allowed staff to conduct a thorough review without risking further data corruption or unauthorized access during the cleanup process.
What Happens Next for Voters
All remaining voter roll cleanup will happen at the county level according to Governor Sherrill's announcement on Wednesday. County election officials are now responsible for reviewing the 1,450 cases with uncertain status and determining if those individuals can be reinstated.
The governor expressed gratitude to everyone who has been working around the clock on these remediation efforts to fix the registration mess. The goal is to ensure that only eligible citizens remain on the rolls while maintaining confidence in the fairness of upcoming elections across Morris, Essex, and Passaic counties.
Questions residents are asking
How many noncitizens actually voted before they were removed?
State officials said approximately 340 voters who were registered through the error cast ballots in previous elections. The total number of people removed from rolls is 5,100.
What happened to the other people flagged during this review?
About 1,450 voters had their status changed to rejected and cannot vote until county officials verify their eligibility. These cases are currently under additional review by local election offices.
Did the federal government find more noncitizens on the rolls?
The Department of Homeland Security claimed they identified 35,000 potential registered aliens in New Jersey. However, state officials said they have not received any proof or additional information from the agency to support that specific number.