New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill announced Tuesday that approximately 6,600 individuals who indicated they were not U.S. citizens were incorrectly registered to vote due to a technical error within the state's Motor Vehicle System. The error occurred between June 2023 and June 2024, prior to Sherrill taking office.
According to Sherrill, preliminary analysis indicates that fewer than 400 of these erroneously registered individuals actually voted. These voters were not tied to a single political party, having been registered as Democrats, Republicans, or unaffiliated.
"Last week I learned that a serious software error in New Jersey's Motor Vehicle System led to the registration of roughly 6,600 people who indicated that they were not U.S. citizens between June 2023 and June 2024, almost three years prior to my taking office," Sherrill stated. "These individuals answered 'no' when asked on a keypad whether they were a U.S. citizen when applying for drivers' licenses and identification cards, but through no fault of their own, the system registered them anyway."
During a press conference, Sherrill noted that while these individuals could have potentially voted in any election since their registration, there is "no evidence at this time that any elections were swayed" as a result.
The governor has initiated an independent investigation into the matter and ordered the removal of all ineligible individuals from the state's voter rolls. Additionally, the new administrator of the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission is beginning the process of replacing the vendor responsible for the faulty system.
Sherrill also stated that the state is taking measures to protect the identities of the noncitizens who were registered inadvertently, to prevent their immigration status from being jeopardized. The findings of the investigation will be presented after its conclusion.
IDEMIA, the company that manages the system in question, released a statement clarifying its role. "IDEMIA's role is to transmit information through the motor vehicle system. The voter registration information is transmitted to the New Jersey Department of State, Division of Elections, which is ultimately responsible for verifying eligibility to vote. Information submitted by IDEMIA must still be validated and adjudicated by the Division of Elections."
The announcement follows a letter sent to New Jersey and three other states by Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, alleging that those states might have tens of thousands of noncitizens registered to vote. Mullin's department had specifically alleged that New Jersey could have "as many as ... 35,152 non-citizens registered to vote in New Jersey." Sherrill indicated that the number of noncitizen voters uncovered by the state appears unrelated to the DHS figure and that New Jersey has not yet received evidence from the administration to support the higher number.
The Department of Justice confirmed Tuesday that it is investigating the matter. Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon sent a letter to Sherrill requesting additional information on the registered noncitizens and details regarding the approximately 400 who voted, asking for the data within five business days.
White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson commented that Sherrill's announcement "bolsters the need for Congress to pass the president's signature SAVE America Act," asserting that it highlights the necessity of election integrity measures. She added that "American voters deserve to have confidence that our elections are safe and secure."