Full Breakdown
New Jersey Voter-Roll Glitch Fuels Federal Probe and SAVE Act Push
7/24/2026, 10:00:29 PM
Core Event
A software malfunction in the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission’s “motor-voter” system incorrectly placed roughly 6,600 people who answered “no” to a citizenship question on the state’s voter rolls between June 2023 and June 2024. Fewer than 400 of those individuals actually cast ballots after their registration. The Department of Justice, through Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon, has demanded the names, birth dates, nationalities, addresses and registration details of all 6,600 registrants, plus voting records for the 400 who voted, within five business days.
Background & Context
New Jersey’s automatic voter-registration program links driver-license and ID applications to the state election database. The error originated under former Governor Phil Murphy’s administration and was disclosed by Governor Mikie Sherrill in July 2026. The revelation arrives as President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans intensify their campaign for the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, a federal proposal that would require documentary proof of citizenship and photo ID for federal elections.
Data & Statistics
- 6,600 noncitizens erroneously registered.
- < 400 ballots cast by those registrants (? 0.009 % of the 4.3 million ballots cast in the 2024 general election).
- New Jersey electorate: ? 6.7 million registered voters.
- Erroneous registrations represent about 0.0001 % of the total voter rolls.
Official Statements & Responses
The DOJ’s letter stressed that “ensuring that U.S. citizens’ votes are not illegally diluted by noncitizens’ votes is of paramount importance.” Governor Sherrill said the state would remove the invalid registrations, replace the MVC software vendor, and protect the personal information of the affected individuals. IDemia, the vendor, noted that it transmits registration data to the New Jersey Department of State, which verifies eligibility.
Criticism & Opposition
Republican lawmakers have used the glitch to argue that existing safeguards are inadequate. Rep. Bryan Steil warned that “when they get a driver’s license, it’s a problem,” and Senate Majority Leader John Thune pressed for swift passage of the SAVE Act before the August recess. Democrats have accused the DOJ of politicizing the investigation, with Sean Higgins, a Sherrill spokesperson, saying the governor will use all legal tools to protect New Jerseyans’ personal information.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin cited an estimate that as many as 35,152 noncitizens could be registered in New Jersey, a figure the governor’s office says is unsubstantiated. No source has identified which specific elections the < 400 votes affected, and the state has not released the exact number of ballots cast by those voters.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Ensuring that U.S. citizens' votes are not illegally diluted by noncitizens' votes is of paramount importance,” — Harmeet Dhillon
- “Just ONE illegal vote cancels out the vote of a U.S. citizen.” — Markwayne Mullin
- “I am appalled by the reckless failures that allowed this to happen,” — Gov. Mikie Sherrill
- “Republicans, get smart and straighten out our Crooked Elections!” — Donald Trump
What’s Next
The DOJ’s July 7 2026 letter gives New Jersey until the end of the five-day window to produce the requested data. The request is an exhibit in the ongoing federal lawsuit United States v. Caldwell, which seeks the state’s unredacted voter file. Senate leaders are expected to debate the SAVE Act in the weeks leading up to the August recess, and Governor Sherrill has pledged to continue the internal investigation while replacing the MVC vendor.
