A “motor voter” software glitch in New Jersey quietly put about 6,600 noncitizens on the voter rolls, and nearly 400 of them ended up casting ballots.
Story Snapshot
- New Jersey admits 6,600 self-identified noncitizens were wrongly registered to vote after a Motor Vehicle Commission software failure.
- State officials say nearly 400 of these ineligible registrants cast ballots in recent elections, though they claim no races were decided by those votes.
- The registrations happened even after applicants answered “no” to a citizenship question while getting driver’s licenses or ID cards.
- Republicans and federal officials are now demanding investigations, prosecutions, and tougher proof-of-citizenship rules to protect election integrity.
How a Motor Vehicle Software Error Turned Into Illegal Votes
New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill, a Democrat, announced that a serious software error at the state’s Motor Vehicle Commission wrongly registered about 6,600 noncitizens to vote between June 2023 and June 2024. These were people applying for driver’s licenses or state ID cards who were asked on an electronic keypad if they were United States citizens and answered “no.”
Despite that clear answer, the system still sent their data to election officials as new voter registrations, putting them on the rolls as if they were eligible citizens.
State officials say the glitch was fixed in June 2024, but they did not reveal the problem publicly until Sherrill says she learned about it in mid‑July 2026. By then, initial analysis showed that nearly 400 of these wrongly registered noncitizens had gone on to vote in one or more elections. The governor said those voters were spread across New Jersey and registered as Democrats, Republicans, and unaffiliated, suggesting the error cut across party lines rather than favoring one party. She also ordered that all improperly registered noncitizens be removed from the voter rolls.
Election Integrity Concerns and Republican Demands
Republican lawmakers in New Jersey reacted by calling the situation “unacceptable” and demanded both state and federal investigations into how noncitizens were able to vote. They want automatic voter registration at the Motor Vehicle Commission suspended until officials can prove the new systems are secure and accurate.
Some legislators also called for prosecution of anyone who voted while knowing they were not citizens, saying that simply blaming software is not enough when election integrity is at stake and illegal votes have already been cast.
Virginia authorities on Tuesday said they charged a Mexican man in the slaying of a 2-year-old girl this month. https://t.co/PVdpDv9GZr
— The Washington Times (@WashTimes) July 21, 2026
Governor Sherrill has defended the state’s response by stressing that there is currently no evidence that the illegal ballots changed the outcome of any election. She hired an independent firm to investigate the failure and said her administration is replacing the vendor, IDEMIA, that ran the flawed Motor Vehicle Commission registration system.
Still, Republicans argue that the state’s count of “fewer than 400” illegal votes is only a preliminary estimate and warn the true number could be higher once a full audit is complete. That uncertainty keeps questions alive about how deep the problem goes.
Trump DOJ Steps In and the Push for Stronger Safeguards
The United States Department of Justice (DOJ) under President Trump has opened a federal probe into the New Jersey registration error and is using it to renew demands for access to the state’s unredacted voter rolls.
In a letter to Sherrill, the DOJ asked for detailed personal data on all 6,600 wrongly registered noncitizens, including full names, dates of birth, nationalities, addresses, and registration locations. For the nearly 400 who voted, the department also wants information on when and where they voted and copies of any mail ballot signatures and certifications.
Who is lying?
Place your bets…Gunther Eagleman’s post highlights an alleged New Jersey DMV “software error” that registered about 6,600 noncitizens to vote between June 2023 and June 2024, claiming Gov. Mikie Sherrill blamed the vendor while the company stated it only…
— Joe Donlan, Ph.D. (@OrdaininReality) July 22, 2026
This New Jersey case fits a larger pattern seen in other states where big “motor voter” systems have produced major registration mistakes, sometimes involving tens of thousands of entries. Experts say complex voter registration databases must be rigorously tested and monitored to prevent software defects from turning into real threats to election integrity.
For conservatives who care deeply about honest elections, this incident is proof that government technology failures can lead directly to illegal voting and shows why strong proof-of-citizenship rules, tighter oversight, and transparent audits are essential to protect the legitimacy of every lawful ballot.
Sources:
washingtontimes.com, nytimes.com, fox29.com, facebook.com, apps.dtic.mil, brennancenter.org
