New Jersey Removes 5,100 Noncitizens From Voter Rolls

Governor Mikie Sherrill announced the removal of approximately 5,100 noncitizens from New Jersey voter rolls following a software glitch at Motor Vehicle Commissions. The error, which occurred between June 2023 and June 2024, allowed up to 6,600 noncitizens to be erroneously registered. While initial estimates suggested 400 noncitizens had cast ballots, the administration later updated that figure to approximately 340. An additional 1,450 registrations remain marked as rejected pending county review.

The incident has triggered a confrontation between the state and the Trump administration. The Department of Justice and congressional Republicans have demanded access to voter rolls and records to investigate the failure. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin stated the state is cooperating, but Sherrill's office disputes this claim, noting they will not release private personally identifying information.

Within the state, New Jersey Republicans are calling for a temporary moratorium on automatic voter registration and the creation of a legislative Select Committee to investigate the registrations. Sherrill has maintained that her administration is conducting a thorough and fair investigation into the error.