NJ removes 5,100 noncitizens from voter rolls after MVC software error

Governor Mikie Sherrill announced on Wednesday that New Jersey has removed 5,100 noncitizens from the state's voter rolls. This action is part of an ongoing effort to address a discovery that noncitizens were erroneously registered to cast ballots through a flawed software system.

The registration errors occurred between June 2023 and June 2024 while Phil Murphy served as governor. State officials confirmed that approximately 340 of the voters who were registered through this error ultimately cast ballots in previous elections.

In addition to the removals, about 1,450 other voters had their registration status changed to rejected. These individuals are prevented from voting pending additional review by county election officials to verify their eligibility.

The scope of the MVC software failure

The issue originated at Motor Vehicle Commission sites where a software error allowed thousands of noncitizens to register to vote. Individuals applied for identification and indicated they were not U.S. citizens, yet the system registered them anyway.

In July, the Sherrill administration revealed that roughly 6,600 noncitizens had been registered through this flawed process. The latest announcement details that 5,100 of those registrations have now been removed from the rolls entirely.

Earlier this month, the Statewide Voter Registration System was shut down for two days without an initial explanation. Governor Sherrill's office later stated the system was taken offline so the Division of Elections could back up and edit voter records.

Conflicting claims on total numbers

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security responded to the state's efforts by claiming a higher number of noncitizens had been registered in New Jersey. DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin stated that his agency identified 35,000 potential registered aliens.

Mullin suggested on social media that the 35,000 figure may only be the beginning of what federal officials could find. He expressed a desire to help New Jersey identify illegal voters and ensure election integrity.

The Sherrill administration previously asked officials in President Donald Trump's administration for proof regarding the 35,000 noncitizens claim. New Jersey officials stated they have not received any additional information from the agency to support that number.

Political reactions and criticism

Governor Sherrill pushed back against Republican criticism over the voter registration errors during her Wednesday announcement. She emphasized her commitment to confronting the issue with urgency to ensure strong and fair elections.

Sherrill stated that her approach stands in contrast to the Trump administration and Republicans, whom she accused of trying to use the issue for political gain. The revelation from the Democratic governor drew sharp criticism from local and national Republicans.

A report from Save Jersey noted that the latest admissions are likely to complicate the state's explanation of the controversy. The outlet argued that the alleged MVC glitch was a distraction from broader questions about how the election system prevents noncitizens from registering.

Additional votes outside the error window

Reporting by David Wildstein for the New Jersey Globe indicated that roughly 220 noncitizens were registered before the MVC malfunction occurred. These individuals cast ballots in New Jersey elections prior to the June 2023 to June 2024 glitch window.

This disclosure adds a separate group of voters who originated outside the timeframe of the software error. Election officials now face the additional issue of explaining how those 220 registrations came to be on the rolls.

Questions remain regarding how long these individuals were on the rolls and how many elections they participated in before being identified. The state must also determine if additional noncitizens remain registered through pathways unrelated to the alleged MVC error.

Next steps for county officials

All remaining voter roll cleanup will happen at the county level according to Governor Sherrill. County election officials will review the 1,450 voters whose status was changed to rejected pending further verification.

Division of Elections staff have been reviewing records with a fine-toothed comb to ensure the fairness and security of New Jersey elections. The governor expressed gratitude to everyone working around the clock on these remediation efforts.