Full Breakdown
New Jersey Governor Refuses DOJ Access to Data on Erroneously Registered Noncitizens Amid DOJ’s Nationwide Voter-File Lawsuit Losses
7/25/2026, 2:20:43 AM
Core Event
Governor Mikie Sherrill (D) announced that New Jersey will not provide the Department of Justice (DOJ) with data on thousands of noncitizens mistakenly registered to vote after a Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) software malfunction. The glitch registered about 6,600 noncitizens, and roughly 400 of them cast ballots during the 2023-2024 election cycle. The DOJ’s letter requested the identities of those voters to support a pending lawsuit seeking unredacted statewide voter-registration rolls. Sherrill said the state is conducting its own investigation and is ending its partnership with the software vendor IDEMIA.
Background & Context
Since President Donald Trump returned to office, the DOJ has pursued unredacted voter-registration files from virtually every state and the District of Columbia, invoking the 1960 Civil Rights Act and the National Voter Registration Act. More than 30 jurisdictions have refused, and the DOJ’s lawsuits have been uniformly rejected. The most recent loss came in Kentucky, where Judge Claria Horn Boom dismissed the DOJ’s demand, citing Sixth Circuit precedent that state voter-registration lists are not “records” subject to Title III of the Civil Rights Act.
Data & Statistics
- Erroneous registrations in New Jersey: ~6,600 noncitizens.
- Ballots cast by those noncitizens: ~400.
- States/D.C. refusing DOJ data requests: >30.
- DOJ voter-file lawsuits filed: 30.
- DOJ losses: 0-17 (including 11 rulings by Trump-appointed judges).
- Circuit courts hearing appeals: eight (1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 6th, 7th, 9th, 10th).
Official Statements & Responses
Sherrill blamed the MVC and IDEMIA for the error and noted that the MVC has been “in disarray” for years. She rejected the DOJ’s argument that standard civil-procedure rules should be set aside for Civil Rights Act actions.
Criticism & Opposition
Sherrill criticized the federal response, stating, “It is not a surprise to me that the federal government… wants to immediately weaponize this against people as opposed to focusing on making sure that we’re running free and fair elections.” The White House cited the New Jersey glitch to press for the SAVE America Act, an anti-voting-fraud bill championed by former President Trump.
Verbatim Quotes
- “We are not in the practice of turning over this kind of personally identifying data over to the federal government because we have seen them weaponize it, I’ve seen it personally,” — Governor Mikie Sherrill
- “Given this binding Sixth Circuit precedent, the Court here reaches the same result: Kentucky’s [state voter registration list] does not ‘come into’ the possession of Kentucky election officials and is not a record or paper subject to Title III of the Civil Rights Act,” — Judge Claria Horn Boom
What’s Next
The DOJ has filed appeals in Connecticut, New York, New Mexico, Kentucky and other states, expanding its campaign into eight federal appellate courts. New Jersey is conducting an independent investigation into the MVC software failure and plans to terminate its contract with IDEMIA. No further DOJ filings related to the New Jersey data request have been reported.
