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New Jersey Governor Admits Software Error Registered 6,600 Non-Citizens to Vote; Fewer Than 400 Cast Ballots

By Staff Reports | July 22, 2026

TRENTON, N.J. — New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill (D) acknowledged Tuesday that a software error in the state’s Motor Vehicle Commission system registered approximately 6,600 individuals who indicated they were not U.S. citizens to vote between June 2023 and June 2024, according to statements released by her office and reported by Zero Hedge and Breitbart News.

According to a statement from the governor’s office cited by Zero Hedge, the individuals answered "no" on a keypad when asked whether they were U.S. citizens while applying for driver’s licenses or identification cards. A preliminary analysis conducted by the Sherrill administration found that fewer than 400 of those mistakenly registered actually cast ballots. Those who voted registered as Democrats, Republicans, and unaffiliated voters and were located throughout the state, the governor’s office said.

The error occurred under the administration of former Governor Phil Murphy (D) and was corrected in June 2024, according to the governor’s statement. Sherrill said she learned of the issue only recently. In a press conference, she said she was "appalled" by what she described as failures that allowed the error to occur and directed her chief counsel to investigate. She also ordered election officials to remove any residents erroneously added to the voter rolls during the June 2023–June 2024 period and said the MVC administrator she appointed has begun replacing the vendor responsible for administering the system.

Sherrill also accused the Trump administration of attempting to "weaponize elections for political gain," saying in a statement quoted by Breitbart News: "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." She added that her administration was acting to protect elections.

The White House responded to Sherrill’s announcement with a statement from spokeswoman Abigail Jackson to The Epoch Times, cited by Zero Hedge, and to the New Jersey Globe, cited by Breitbart News. Jackson said the incident "underscores the absolute necessity of the SAVE America Act," legislation backed by Republicans that would require documentary proof of citizenship to register to vote in federal elections. "Democrats and their media allies have repeatedly said it is impossible for noncitizens to register to vote, let alone cast a ballot. Time and again, they have been proven wrong," Jackson said, attributing the statement to President Donald Trump’s position that election integrity is paramount.

Vice President JD Vance responded on X, calling on New Jersey’s Democratic U.S. Senators, Cory Booker and Andy Kim, to support the SAVE America Act. "If only there was a way to stop this type of ‘software error’ that allowed non citizens to vote in our elections," Vance wrote. "I hope Senators @CoryBooker and @SenatorAndyKim will join us in voting to pass the SAVE America Act to ensure that only eligible American voters can participate in New Jersey elections, and all elections across the United States." As of Tuesday evening, neither senator had issued a public response, according to Breitbart News.

The disclosure comes five days after President Trump delivered a national address alleging widespread voter fraud across the country. The Department of Homeland Security, cited in that address and referenced by Breitbart News, stated its preliminary investigation found as many as 35,152 non-citizens registered to vote in New Jersey, 190,832 in California, 15,903 in Nevada, and 14,576 in Pennsylvania. The DHS figures cited by the White House are substantially higher than the 6,600 figure cited by the Sherrill administration for the specific MVC software error.

New Jersey Lieutenant Governor Dale Caldwell (D), who also serves as Secretary of State, previously refused a Trump administration request for the state’s full unredacted voter file earlier this year. The Department of Justice sued Caldwell in February 2026 over the refusal; the case remains pending, according to Breitbart News.

The SAVE America Act, formally the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act, has been a central plank of Republican election-integrity legislation since the start of the second Trump administration. Democrats have generally opposed the measure, arguing that existing safeguards are sufficient and that the bill would disenfranchise eligible voters. The New Jersey disclosure is likely to intensify debate over the legislation in the Senate, where Booker and Kim have not publicly signaled support.

Sherrill’s office said the state would continue taking steps to ensure only eligible citizens vote and that lawful votes are counted. The governor’s directive to remove erroneously registered voters from the rolls applies to the June 2023–June 2024 window. The vendor replacement process at the MVC is underway.

Sources: Zero Hedge, "Thousands Of Noncitizens Registered To Vote In New Jersey, Governor Admits," July 22, 2026; Breitbart News, "Vance Calls on Sens. Booker, Kim to Pass SAVE Act After New Jersey Admits to Uncovering Non-Citizen Voters," July 22, 2026. Both outlets cite statements from the Office of Governor Mikie Sherrill, the White House, Vice President JD Vance, and public statements from the Department of Homeland Security and Department of Justice.