Judge Blocks DOJ Access to New Jersey Voter Rolls

District Judge Zahid Quraishi blocked the U.S. Department of Justice from accessing unredacted voter rolls on Wednesday, rejecting the federal government's claim that Title III of the Civil Rights Act grants access to computerized lists created by the state. The ruling follows a request by the DOJ to obtain the names, addresses, and countries of origin of approximately 6,600 non-citizens mistakenly registered to vote between June 2023 and June 2024.

Mikie Sherrill, Governor of New Jersey, refused the initial request, citing the Privacy Act and the Driver's Privacy Protection Act. Sherrill attributed the registrations to a software glitch by the technology company Idemia during the administration of former Governor Phil Murphy. Idemia has disputed this claim, asserting it followed the specifications provided by the state. While fewer than 400 of the ineligible registrants cast ballots, reports indicate roughly 75,000 non-citizens were summoned for jury duty through state databases.

Sherrill has ordered an investigation and the removal of ineligible voters, with 4,500 individuals already removed and 2,100 others under review. In response to the failure, State Senator Declan O'Scanlon called for a halt to the automatic registration system and federal oversight, while State Senator Andy Kim demanded accountability for the errors.