Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., stated that the recent discovery of approximately 6,600 noncitizens mistakenly eligible to vote in New Jersey does not warrant the passage of President Donald Trump's SAVE America Act. Booker contended that the issue stemmed from a clerical error and a software malfunction, not a deficiency in federal voter identification requirements.
New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill announced that the state had removed these individuals from its voter rolls for the 2024 presidential election, attributing the eligibility to a "serious software error" within the state's Motor Vehicle System. "Nothing in the SAVE Act would have prevented a clerical error like we've seen in Texas and Oregon and New Jersey," Booker stated. "We’ve got to protect our voting systems."
The situation has arisen as Republicans advocate for the SAVE Act, a proposal facing opposition from Democrats who argue it would disenfranchise millions of American voters. Booker characterized the SAVE Act as a "massive voter suppression bill."
Booker emphasized that New Jersey is taking the matter seriously, with Governor Sherrill initiating an investigation and ordering the removal of all affected noncitizens from voter rolls. "We take this very seriously in New Jersey," Booker said. "People are stepping up." He added that those responsible should be held accountable.
While Booker maintains his opposition to the SAVE Act, he asserted that "election requirements should always have proof of citizenship for voting." However, he believes these requirements should be managed at the state level, even for federal elections. "The states, as the Constitution says, should handle their voting when there's problems or violations of the law. People should be prosecuted."
Republicans supporting the SAVE Act argue that its provisions, which would mandate in-person citizen documentation for all voters, would help identify and resolve systemic issues like the one seen in New Jersey. Booker, however, expressed concern that the incident was being used to promote legislation he believes would harm American voters. "We're going to handle the problems in New Jersey, but I hate how it's being weaponized by some people to advance schemes that actually would hurt Americans," he said.