New Jersey is moving to strip thousands of non-citizens from its voter rolls, even as the state adopts a sweeping new law meant to strengthen voting rights, putting election integrity in the state under an intense spotlight. The dual developments unfolded on the same day, pairing a cleanup of improperly registered voters with a broad expansion of protections at the ballot box.
According to officials, the state's Division of Elections is removing more than 4,500 non-citizens who had been registered to vote through what has been characterized as a Motor Vehicle Commission software error. The Motor Vehicle Commission has since mailed letters to those who were impacted, notifying them of the issue as the state works to correct the rolls.
The scope of the problem extended beyond those being removed outright. Around 400 non-citizens did manage to cast ballots, according to the account, while a remaining roughly 2,000 registrations will be referred to county election officials for additional review. That referral leaves local officials to sort through cases that were not resolved by the statewide action.
The technology company at the center of the dispute pushed back on how the error has been described. Idemia told Politico that this was not a fault with its software, but rather a setting that New Jersey officials had approved, one that allowed non-citizens to register to vote. The disagreement over responsibility adds a layer of contention to an already politically charged situation.
As the state's election systems drew scrutiny, Governor Sherrill also signed a new law the same day designed to strengthen voting rights. The John R. Lewis Voter Empowerment Act establishes state preclearance, prohibits vote dilution, bans voter intimidation and deception, increases legal enforcement, expands language assistance and creates a public statewide election database, according to officials.
The governor framed the twin actions as part of a broader commitment to running clean and fair elections. Here in the government of New Jersey, we solve problems, we fix them, she said, adding that the state was working to ensure that every single person has the right to vote, that those who should not be enfranchised are not, but that eligible voters are not disenfranchised either.
The episode has also set up a confrontation with Washington. Following last week's voter registration revelation, the Department of Justice called on the governor to turn over voter information. She will not comply, according to the account, setting the stage for a standoff between the state and federal officials over access to New Jersey's voter data as the cleanup and the new law take effect.