A software error in New Jersey’s Motor Vehicle Commission system – exposed by the Federal government – resulted in roughly 6,600 people who identified themselves as non-U.S. citizens being registered to vote between June 2023 and June 2024, Governor Mikie Sherrill acknowledged this afternoon.

The individuals had answered “no” when asked on a keypad whether they were U.S. citizens while applying for driver’s licenses or identification cards, but the system registered them to vote regardless, according to Sherrill.

A preliminary analysis found that fewer than 400 of those newly registered under the flawed system went on to cast ballots. Officials said the affected voters were registered as Democrats, Republicans and unaffiliated, and were spread across the state.

The error occurred under the previous administration. State officials said that upon learning of the issue, Sherrill’s chief counsel opened an investigation, and residents erroneously added to the voter rolls during the affected period are being removed. The newly appointed MVC administrator has begun the process of replacing the vendor that administers the system, officials said.

Sherrill’s office said the review and corrective steps are ongoing and that the administration is committed to notifying the public of its findings as the investigation continues.

Governor Sherrill stated:

“As the Trump Administration tries to weaponize elections for political gain, I am ensuring we protect our elections. Let me be clear: Donald Trump has zero credibility on the issue of election integrity. For more than ten years, he has worked to undermine Americans’ faith in our elections by spreading lies about legitimate election results, attempting to overturn a free and fair election, encouraging an attack on our Capitol when he couldn’t accept the will of the voters, and defunding election security at the federal level.

“The difference is simple: when we find a problem, we don’t hide it, deny it, or invent conspiracies. We investigate it, we fix it, and we tell the public. That’s what accountability and good governance look like, and that’s exactly what my administration is doing.

“New Jerseyans should have confidence that every eligible citizen can vote, every lawful vote will be counted, and every reasonable step will be taken to protect the integrity of our elections. That’s my responsibility, and it’s one I will never stop fighting to uphold.”