New Jersey Voter-Roll Glitch Registers Thousands of Non-citizens

In late July 2026 Governor Mikie Sherrill disclosed that a software glitch in the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) added roughly 6,600 individuals who marked not U.S. citizens on driver-license or ID applications to the state’s voter rolls. Fewer than 400 of those registrants later cast ballots in elections between June 2023 and June 2024. The governor announced that all erroneous registrations are being removed and that the vendor Idemia is being phased out.

New York Times

New Jersey’s automatic voter-registration program links motor-vehicle transactions to the election database. The error occurred under the previous administration and was tied to Idemia’s software that transmitted registration data to the Division of Elections. State officials learned of the problem after a July 16 letter from DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin raised concerns about non-citizen entries.

Politico

• 6,600 non-citizens mistakenly registered (Gov. Sherrill).

Newsweek

• < 400 of those individuals voted (Gov. Sherrill).

Newsweek

• New Jersey’s electorate totals about 7 million registered voters; typical statewide turnouts range from 1.5 million to 4 million votes.

Newsweek

• DHS’s preliminary review cited 35,152 potential non-citizen registrations in the state, a figure the governor’s office has asked to be substantiated but has not received (Secretary Mullin).

Patch

Sherrill pledged to remove the 6,600 names, replace Idemia with a new vendor, and retain the law firm CSG Law for an independent review. Idemia said it transmits data to the Division of Elections, which is ultimately responsible for verifying voter eligibility. The Division has not yet released a detailed audit. White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson cited the case to argue for the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) America Act, a voter-ID bill pending in Congress. Secretary Mullin’s letter urged the state to verify the DHS-identified registrations and warned that “election security is national security.”

Politico

Republican officials framed the glitch as evidence of systemic weaknesses. NJ Assembly Minority Leader John DiMaio (R-Hackettstown) called for voter-ID legislation, and RNC spokesperson Ally Triolo said the party is “examining all available legal options.” NJ GOP Chair Christine Hanlon urged a comprehensive re-examination of the voter file and cooperation with federal authorities.

Politico

• DHS claim vs. state figures: Mullin’s letter referenced 35,152 potential non-citizen registrations, whereas Sherrill reported 6,600 erroneous entries. The governor’s office has requested evidence for the higher number.

NBC News

• Verification of votes: State officials have not disclosed which specific elections the < 400 votes affected.

Newsweek

• Media verification: The New York Times noted it could not independently verify the numbers provided by the governor.

New York Times

• “I am appalled by the reckless failures that allowed this to happen and the lack of transparency shown by those in charge at the time,” — Gov. Mikie Sherrill

Newsweek

• “The difference is simple: when we find a problem, we don't hide it, deny it, or invent conspiracies. We investigate it, we fix it, and we tell the public,” — Gov. Mikie Sherrill

BBC News

The MVC will replace Idemia with a new vendor next year. Sherrill’s chief counsel has launched an internal investigation, and CSG Law will conduct an independent review, though no completion date is set. The state will continue to respond to DHS’s request for verification, and congressional debates over the SAVE America Act are expected to intensify.

New York Post