New Jersey's Governor Mikie Sherrill disclosed on July 21st that 'serious software error' led to almost 400 non-US citizens voting in the state. This error occurred in June 2023, long before Sherrill took office.
The revelation came amidst the Trump administration's push for strict new voter-ID and proof-of-citizenship rules in Congress. Sherrill, a Democrat, stated that 'fewer than 400' of the wrongly registered non-citizens cast ballots during the period in question.
The problem arose when residents applying for drivers' licenses and identification cards answered 'no' on a keypad when asked if they were US citizens. However, 'through no fault of their own, the system registered them anyway,' according to Governor Sherrill. She assured that the group included people registered as Democrats, Republicans and Unaffiliated voters scattered around different parts of the state.
The governor further said that the vendor responsible for administering the ID system will be replaced. This comes as President Donald Trump has long advanced unsubstantiated claims of widespread voter fraud in US elections.
Sherrill expressed her concerns about Trump's credibility on the issue of election integrity, stating that he has spread 'lies' about US voting systems and attempted to overturn his 2020 election loss to Joe Biden. She vowed to address the issue, contrasting her administration's approach with Trump's.
'When we find a problem, we don't hide it, deny it, or invent conspiracies. We investigate it, fix it, and tell the public,' Sherrill added.
In response, Republicans quickly seized on the news to advocate for the passage of the SAVE Act. 'Yet another reason to PASS THE SAVE AMERICA ACT!' the White House's rapid response team wrote on X.
Congresswoman Laurel Lee, a Florida Republican, also called the error a 'catastrophic failure' and demanded an investigation.
This incident has sparked intense debate in the United States, with the Trump administration pushing for stricter voting rules. The issue of voter integrity has become a contentious topic in US politics, with various parties holding different views on how to address the problem.
The Trump administration has been locked in legal battles with several states over their election administration and voter rolls. In the US, individual states administer elections, not the federal government. But the Trump administration has attempted to exert more federal control over the election process heading into November's midterm elections.
The exact number of non-citizens who voted is still unknown, but it is estimated to be fewer than 400. This incident has raised questions about the reliability of the state's voter registration system and the measures in place to prevent such errors from occurring in the future.