⚠️ New Jersey plans to remove 4,500 voter registrations tied to the MVC software error.
➡️ About 2,100 registrations will stay under review because the state believes some may belong to citizens.
✅ The MVC has notified affected individuals and launched a public FAQ website.
New Jersey may leave more than 2,000 individuals on the voter rolls after the state found thousands of noncitizens mistakenly registered to vote.
On Tuesday, Gov. Mikie Sherrill gave an update on the voter registration scandal that rocked the state last week, in which a “serious software error” allowed 6,600 noncitizens to register to vote between June 2023 and June 2024. The individuals had indicated they were noncitizens while applying for identification at the Motor Vehicle Commission, but were registered anyway.
According to the governor, the MVC has mailed letters to all individuals affected by the software error.
READ MORE: IDEMIA pushes back on NJ voter registration explanation
“I voted” stickers (Dan Alexander, Townsquare Media)“I voted” stickers (Dan Alexander, Townsquare Media)
State will remove 4,500 registrations immediately
Now, Sherrill says the state has begun to clean up the voter rolls. The Division of Elections will remove 4,500 individuals who were registered to vote due to the MVC error.
According to the governor, an initial review has found that some of the individuals may have actually been citizens. These registrations, around 2,100 of them, will be referred to county election officials for further review. Sherrill said it was important to make sure any lawfully registered voters are not disenfranchised.
“Just as we have an obligation to remove everyone who is not eligible to vote, we also have a responsibility to protect the voting rights of eligible New Jersey citizens and ensure no one is improperly removed from the rolls. And we are going to do just that,” Sherrill said.
The governor again said her approach stands in stark contrast to how President Donald Trump and “MAGA Republicans” have reacted. Sherrill accused Republicans of weaponizing the issue to push what she called voter suppression schemes.
Governor Mikie Sherrill, Lt. Governor Dale Caldwell and MVC Acting Chair & Chief Administrator Rosalie Johnson hold a press conference in the media room of the statehouse in Trenton on July 21, 2026. (Office of Governor/Tim Larsen)Governor Mikie Sherrill, Lt. Governor Dale Caldwell and MVC Acting Chair & Chief Administrator Rosalie Johnson hold a press conference in the media room of the statehouse in Trenton on July 21, 2026. (Office of Governor/Tim Larsen)
Republicans demand more transparency over voter registration scandal
On Tuesday, state Republicans sent a letter to the governor’s office demanding that the identities of all 6,600 individuals who were registered to vote be sent to county election officials. Sens. Anthony Bucco, R-Morris, and Kristen Corrado, R-Bergen, said county boards of elections and county clerks should be notified promptly.
“Correcting an error of this magnitude should not depend solely on the voluntary compliance of the individuals affected,” Bucco and Corrado said.
The Justice Department had also requested information on these individuals, but Sherrill on Tuesday responded by saying the state would not comply because their request had “no legal basis.”
Last week, the pair introduced a bill to eliminate automatic voter registration at the MVC. If signed into law, it would also implement voter ID requirements and mandate regular and independent audits of voter rolls.
It comes as the national debate over election security heats up. Democrats have pushed back against broad efforts to purge voter rolls, saying that these efforts could disenfranchise eligible residents.
The White House has used New Jersey’s voter registration scandal to promote Trump’s SAVE America Act, which would require people to show documentary proof of citizenship before they register to vote and impose voter ID requirements nationwide.
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