DOJ Investigates New Jersey Voter Rolls and Jury Summons

The United States Department of Justice has opened an investigation into a voter registration scandal in New Jersey after Governor Mikie Sherrill disclosed that a software error involving vendor IDEMIA added roughly 6,600 noncitizens to voter rolls. While fewer than 400 of those individuals voted, the error coincided with data from the New Jersey Administrative Office of the Courts showing that approximately 75,000 noncitizens are summoned for jury duty annually.

To process over one million annual summonses, the state judiciary relies on records from the Motor Vehicle Commission, the Division of Taxation, and the Division of Elections. The United States Department of Homeland Security stated the jury figures demonstrate that New Jersey government databases are unreliable in ensuring only Americans participate in civic institutions.

In response, the New Jersey Administrative Office of the Courts maintains that existing safeguards prevent noncitizens from actually serving. These measures include mandatory qualification questionnaires and direct questioning by judges and attorneys during jury selection. Meanwhile, IDEMIA has contested responsibility for the voter roll errors, arguing that the New Jersey Division of Elections is the entity responsible for validating and adjudicating voter eligibility.