New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill announced on Tuesday that approximately 6,600 noncitizens were mistakenly registered to vote due to a software error in the state Motor Vehicle Commission system between June 2023 and June 2024.
Sherrill stated that the affected individuals answered “no” when asked whether they are U.S. citizens during driver’s license or identification card applications but were still registered. The erroneous registrations included voters from all political affiliations, spanning across the state.
According to Sherrill, fewer than 400 of these individuals cast ballots before the registrations were identified and removed. She said she ordered an immediate investigation and directed officials to eliminate all affected registrations while replacing the vendor responsible for the faulty system.
Sherrill emphasized that there is no evidence the mistaken registrations changed any election outcome but called the error “appalling” and pledged accountability.
The White House has seized on New Jersey’s disclosure as fresh evidence supporting President Donald Trump’s push for the SAVE America Act, which would require stricter voter verification requirements. A White House spokeswoman named Abigail Jackson stated: “Democrats and their media allies have repeatedly said it is impossible for noncitizens to register to vote, let alone cast a ballot. Time and again, they have been proven wrong.”
Jackson added that the incident underscores the “absolute necessity” of the SAVE America Act, noting that American voters “deserve to have confidence that our elections are safe and secure.” She stated President Trump would “never stop fighting to make that happen.”
Earlier this week, Trump revealed his administration had identified hundreds of thousands of potential noncitizen voters nationwide, including up to 35,152 in New Jersey.
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin criticized New Jersey for not acting sooner, saying: “Just ONE illegal vote cancels out the vote of a U.S. citizen” and that the issue “should have been fixed long ago.”
The disclosure comes as House Republicans advance a third reconciliation package that would include key provisions of the SAVE America Act.
