Republican lawmakers are demanding immediate action after New Jersey Democratic Governor Mikie Sherrill revealed that a software error in the state's Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) system resulted in the registration of approximately 6,600 noncitizens as voters. The error, which occurred between June 2023 and June 2024, also allowed about 400 individuals to cast ballots in elections, according to preliminary analysis. The announcement has intensified calls for election integrity reforms and a suspension of automatic voter registration through the MVC.
Governor Sherrill, who took office in January 2025, emphasized that the mistake happened under her predecessor, former Governor Phil Murphy. She criticized the MVC and the software contractor IDEMIA for the oversight, stating that the vendor released software with a glaring error and that the MVC took a year to address the issue. IDEMIA, however, pushed back, asserting that its role is limited to transmitting information and that the New Jersey Department of State's Division of Elections is ultimately responsible for verifying voter eligibility.
Republican state Senator Declan O'Scanlon told Fox News Digital that GOP lawmakers had raised concerns about the MVC registration system for years but were repeatedly assured that such an error could not occur. He called the situation worse than expected and urged an immediate suspension of all voter registrations through the MVC until a thorough investigation is completed. O'Scanlon also noted that when state Democrats made it legal for noncitizens to obtain driver's licenses, Republicans warned that this very problem could arise.
New Jersey Assembly Republican Leader John DiMaio echoed these sentiments, calling for a top-to-bottom audit of the state's voter rolls and a halt to automatic MVC registrations. He argued that the problem is likely more pervasive than the 6,600 noncitizen voters identified so far. DiMaio urged Sherrill to set aside politics and cooperate with federal authorities to remove all noncitizens from the rolls.
The controversy has drawn national attention, with President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance using the incident to push for the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) America Act. Vice President Vance posted on X, calling on New Jersey Senators Cory Booker and Andy Kim to support the legislation, which aims to ensure only eligible American voters can participate in elections. Senator Kim, however, downplayed the scope of the issue, describing it as a problem that needs fixing but not a widespread systemic crisis. He accused Trump of weaponizing the incident to advance an extreme agenda.
Ally Triolo, a spokesperson for the Republican National Committee, criticized Democrats for refusing to acknowledge that the thousands of noncitizens found on New Jersey's voter rolls represent a serious election integrity failure. She argued that this proves Democrats prioritize opposition to President Trump over securing American elections.
The error has also reignited debate over New Jersey's policy of allowing undocumented immigrants to obtain driver's licenses, a law enacted in 2020. Republican state Senator Anthony Bucco pointed to this policy as a root cause of the registration issues, noting that it has created vulnerabilities in the voter registration system. He called for a comprehensive review of all registrations processed through the MVC over the past decade.
Governor Sherrill has pledged to fix the problem and hold those responsible accountable, but she has not yet called for a suspension of automatic voter registration. The state is now facing pressure from both state and federal Republicans to take immediate action to restore public confidence in the electoral process.
