House Republicans are scrutinizing New Jersey’s voter registration system after Gov. Mikie Sherrill revealed that over 6,000 noncitizens were mistakenly added to the voter rolls in 2023 and 2024. This announcement has fueled Republican criticism of New Jersey Democrats, as election integrity remains a prominent issue ahead of the midterm elections.
Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan from Ohio and House Administration Committee Chairman Bryan Steil from Wisconsin have reached out to New Jersey Lt. Governor Dale Caldwell for clarification on the state’s adherence to federal election laws.
“During a July 21, 2026, press conference, New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill announced that approximately 6,600 noncitizens were registered to vote between June 2023 and June 2024 because the state Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) sent the information of noncitizens who accurately marked they were not citizens to the Department of State’s Division of Elections and the noncitizens were then registered to vote,” Jordan and Steil wrote.
The mistake, as reported by Sherrill, resulted from a “serious software error in New Jersey’s Motor Vehicle system.” About 400 noncitizens have voted in elections since 2023. The situation raises concerns over whether New Jersey is complying with federal voting laws.
The software vendor, IDEMIA, denied Governor Sherrill’s claims, attributing the registration error to New Jersey agencies. According to IDEMIA, the issue was rectified only in June 2024 when the MVC requested a change in settings, though the noncitizens were not removed from voter rolls or publicly disclosed until now.
Despite the revelations, there is currently no evidence that noncitizens have influenced any federal election outcomes. However, the situation undermines Democratic assurances about election security and bolsters Republican advocacy for stricter federal election standards.
The committees are seeking comprehensive information on New Jersey’s compliance with federal election laws, including the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA), the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (NVRA), and the Civil Rights Act of 1960 (CRA). They are requesting documents that explain how New Jersey assesses voter roll eligibility and any cooperation (or lack thereof) with the Department of Homeland Security to verify citizenship status.
The inquiry includes signatures from Rep. Jeff Van Drew of New Jersey and Rep. Laurel Lee of Florida, both leading relevant subcommittees. They have requested the documents by August 17.
Inquiries for comment were made to Sherrill’s office. Elizabeth Elkind is a politics reporter with Fox News Digital, focusing on the House of Representatives. For more updates, follow her on Twitter at @liz_elkind.