New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill announced Tuesday that a software error at the Motor Vehicle Commission led to the improper voter registration of approximately 6,600 noncitizens between 2023 and 2024. A preliminary analysis by the state indicated that fewer than 400 of those individuals subsequently cast ballots. The registrations occurred when individuals who identified as noncitizens while applying for driver's licenses or state IDs were added to the voter rolls.
Governor Sherrill, who took office this year, stated she has ordered the removal of these registrations and is initiating an investigation into the matter. The state also plans to replace the technology vendor responsible for the system. Sherrill criticized the previous administration's handling of the system and cited a lack of transparency regarding the error. The events took place during the administration of former Governor Phil Murphy.
The announcement follows recent assertions by federal officials regarding noncitizen registration. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin recently claimed that 250,000 noncitizens are registered across four states, including New Jersey. While some Republican officials cite these instances as evidence of widespread vulnerabilities, election experts and the Center for Election Innovation and Research state that such occurrences often stem from data errors rather than intentional fraud and that noncitizen voting remains statistically rare.