New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill announced that her administration has launched an investigation after discovering a significant software error in the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) system that mistakenly registered approximately 6,600 people to vote despite indicating they were not U.S. citizens.

According to the governor, the error occurred between June 2023 and June 2024, before she took office. The affected individuals reportedly selected “no” when asked on an electronic keypad whether they were U.S. citizens while applying for driver’s licenses or identification cards. However, due to what Sherrill described as a software failure, they were registered to vote anyway.

Upon learning of the issue, Sherrill said she immediately directed her chief counsel to conduct a full investigation into how the error occurred. She also ordered state officials to remove from New Jersey’s voter rolls any individuals who were mistakenly registered during that period. In addition, the governor said the new MVC Administrator she appointed has begun replacing the vendor responsible for managing the system.

A preliminary review by the administration found that fewer than 400 of the individuals who were newly registered as a result of the error cast ballots. Those voters were registered as Democrats, Republicans, and unaffiliated voters and were located throughout the state.

Sherrill said she considers the matter extremely serious, citing her background as a military veteran and former federal prosecutor. She criticized what she called the failures and lack of transparency under the previous administration, while emphasizing that the software error did not occur during her tenure. She pledged to hold those responsible accountable and implement safeguards to prevent similar incidents in the future.

The governor also criticized the Trump administration’s approach to election integrity, accusing former President Donald Trump of undermining public confidence in elections through false claims and attempts to overturn legitimate election results.

Sherrill said her administration’s response demonstrates a commitment to transparency and accountability by identifying the problem, investigating it, correcting it, and informing the public. She concluded by reaffirming that New Jersey residents should have confidence that only eligible citizens can vote, every lawful vote will be counted, and the integrity of the state’s elections will continue to be protected.