New Jersey has removed approximately 5,000 noncitizens from its voter rolls, individuals who had been registered despite checking the box indicating they were not a citizen when applying for a driver's license or state ID. The state's governor's office has attributed the situation to a "software error."
The company that supplied the software, however, stated that it had previously warned the state about the issue. The removal of names followed federal identification of over 35,000 noncitizen registered voters in the state.
Concerns have been amplified by reports that simply not checking the "not a citizen" box on Motor Vehicle Commission forms has led to thousands of additional noncitizen registrations. New Jersey, like other states, employs a system that aims to register as many potential voters as possible. Critics argue that this approach, combined with a lack of proactive verification, can lead to improper registrations.
The 1993 "Motor Voter" law requires states to take steps to maintain clean voter rolls, including periodically purging noncitizens, the deceased, and individuals who have moved. However, some observers suggest that certain states, particularly those with a strong Democratic leaning, have been less diligent in this regard, prioritizing broad registration over strict roll maintenance.
This situation has prompted scrutiny from federal authorities attempting to assess the extent of the issue. The governor's office has been described as "stonewalling" federal inquiries into the matter. The large numbers of potentially ineligible voters raise questions about election integrity and could influence close electoral contests. Restoring public confidence in the cleanliness of election rolls is seen as crucial for the functioning of democracy.