New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill said a software error in the state’s Motor Vehicle Commission system led to the improper voter registration of roughly 6,600 people who indicated they were not U.S. citizens between June 2023 and June 2024. A preliminary review found that fewer than 400 of those individuals cast ballots, she said.
New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill said a “serious” software error in the state Motor Vehicle Commission’s system improperly registered about 6,600 people who had indicated they were not U.S. citizens while applying for driver’s licenses or identification cards.
According to Sherrill’s statement and news reports, the registrations occurred between June 2023 and June 2024, and the individuals had answered “no” to a citizenship question using a keypad. Sherrill said a preliminary analysis found that fewer than 400 of those people went on to cast ballots.
Sherrill said her administration learned of the issue last week—well after the period in which the erroneous registrations occurred—and that she directed her counsel to investigate. She also said she ordered the removal of any ineligible registrations created during that window and told residents the state would take “every reasonable step” to protect election integrity.
Separately, the U.S. Justice Department said it sued New Jersey in February 2026, alleging the state failed to provide full statewide voter registration lists upon request under federal election law. In a statement announcing those lawsuits, Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon said the department was seeking the records so it could carry out its oversight responsibilities.
State officials have not publicly detailed how many of the ballots cast by the improperly registered individuals were counted in specific elections, nor have they released a full breakdown of which contests were affected. Sherrill and election officials characterized the matter as the result of a system error rather than evidence of widespread, intentional fraud.
