Trenton, NJ – Gov. Mikie Sherrill acknowledged Tuesday that approximately 6,600 people who identified themselves as non-U.S. citizens were mistakenly registered to vote through a New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission software error between June 2023 and June 2024, before shifting much of her public statement to an attack on President Donald Trump and his handling of election issues.
This comes after Sherrill and New Jersey were accused of harboring 33,000 more illegal aliens on voter rolls.
Mikie Sherrill: I believe Donald Trump has done more to undermine confidence in free and fair elections than anyone in my lifetime, including Vladimir Putin.
“I haven’t seen any proof of that,” Sherrill said, adding that her administration is still investigating. Her press conference came after Trump announced he was launching a DOJ investigation into New Jersey and other states harboring illegal aliens on voter rolls.
She then started bashing the President.
Sherrill said the affected individuals answered “no” when asked whether they were U.S. citizens while applying for driver’s licenses or identification cards, but were registered to vote because of what she described as a software failure. She said the error occurred under the previous administration and announced an investigation, removal of improperly registered voters from the rolls, and replacement of the MVC system vendor.
Related: New Jersey elections, voter registration, New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission, election integrity
Preliminary review found fewer than 400 ballots cast
According to Sherrill, the state’s preliminary analysis found that fewer than 400 of those who were newly registered because of the error ultimately voted. She said those registrations included Democrats, Republicans and unaffiliated voters and were spread across New Jersey.
The governor said her administration is reviewing the incident and promised accountability, describing the issue as “a serious software error” that should not have occurred.
Trump became the focus of governor’s statement
After outlining the voter registration problem, Sherrill devoted a significant portion of her statement to criticizing Trump, accusing him of attempting to “weaponize elections for political gain.”
She said Trump has “zero credibility on the issue of election integrity,” alleging he has undermined confidence in elections by disputing past election results and attempting to overturn the outcome of the 2020 presidential election.
Sherrill also contrasted her administration’s response with Trump’s approach, saying, “The difference is simple: when we find a problem, we don’t hide it, deny it, or invent conspiracies. We investigate it, we fix it, and we tell the public.”
Broader election debate continues
Sherrill’s remarks come as the Trump administration has highlighted federal reviews of voter registration records involving potential non-citizen registrations nationwide. State election officials and election experts have cautioned that many such records can reflect database mismatches or outdated information rather than confirmed cases of illegal voting, while federal officials have continued to examine the data.
Let me also be clear: Donald Trump has zero credibility on election integrity.
For the past decade, he has promoted conspiracy theories about election fraud without evidence.
I witnessed the consequences of those lies firsthand on January 6. I was inside the U.S. Capitol when he and his supporters attempted to overturn the election and endangered the lives of law enforcement officers.
Trump’s concern has never been election integrity. His concern has been himself.
His administration is cutting funding for federal election security programs while the Supreme Court threatens voting rights. He has also spent the past year attempting to redraw congressional districts for partisan advantage while promoting what I believe is the largest voter suppression effort in history.
The governor concluded by saying New Jersey residents should remain confident that “every eligible citizen can vote, every lawful vote will be counted, and every reasonable step will be taken to protect the integrity of our elections.”
PRESS CONFERENCE TRANSCRIPT
The transcript is too long to fit into a single response. I’ll start with Part 1, cleaned and formatted.
Mikie Sherrill Press Conference Transcript (Part 1)
Mikie Sherrill: Good afternoon. I’m joined today by Lieutenant Governor Caldwell and Acting Chair and Chief Administrator of the Motor Vehicle Commission, Rosalie Johnson.
When I came into office six months ago, I promised New Jerseyans that my administration would be different. We’d be open, we’d be direct, and we’d have a culture of accountability in this state.
In keeping with that commitment, we’re here today to share information that I learned just a few days ago.
In June 2023, nearly three years before I became governor, a serious software error in New Jersey’s motor vehicle system led to the improper voter registration of what we believe to be roughly 6,600 people.
When New Jersey residents applied for a driver’s license or identification card through the MVC, they were asked whether they wanted to register to vote. In this case, some individuals indicated they were not U.S. citizens and therefore were not eligible to vote, but the software registered them anyway.
The software error was corrected in June 2024, more than two years ago.
I learned of this last Wednesday and immediately directed my Chief Counsel to launch a comprehensive investigation.
Currently, the Division of Elections is working to ensure that anyone who was improperly registered is removed from the voter rolls.
Our initial analysis shows that fewer than 400 of those improperly registered individuals actually voted in an election because of this software error. They were registered as Democrats, Republicans and, in the majority of cases, as unaffiliated voters, and they were spread across the state.
Let me be clear: this entire situation is unacceptable.
It’s unacceptable that the vendor released software containing such a significant error. It’s unacceptable that it took the MVC a full year to correct the issue. And it’s unacceptable that no one in the previous administration brought this to light, demanded accountability, or took action when it happened years ago.
For too long, the Trenton playbook has been to avoid tackling difficult problems. New Jersey deserves better, and I’m working to create a different culture—one that is transparent, accountable, and effective.
This failure did not occur under my administration, but accountability starts now.
The people of New Jersey should never have to wait a year for a problem to be fixed or two years to learn that it even happened.
I’m taking immediate action to make sure something like this never happens again.
Administrator Johnson has already begun the process of replacing the vendor responsible for the software error. We’re sending letters to everyone impacted, and we’re removing anyone who was improperly registered from the voter rolls.
My team is also examining the process failures that occurred under the previous administration and identifying additional safeguards we can implement going forward.
On my first day in office, I appointed New Jersey’s first-ever Chief Operating Officer to address bureaucracy and operational failures throughout state government. Her team is focused on fixing the fundamentals so it doesn’t take a year to discover and correct a software problem.
New Jerseyans deserve accountable government.
Public service has been the focus of most of my life. I’ve taken several oaths to support and defend the Constitution—as a Navy pilot, a federal prosecutor, and an elected official.
Election integrity is fundamental to that oath.
As governor, it is my responsibility to ensure our elections remain free, fair and secure.
In the months ahead, I’ll continue working with local, county and state election officials to do exactly that.
As the Trump administration continues trying to weaponize elections for political gain, I will continue protecting New Jersey’s elections.
Let me also be clear: Donald Trump has zero credibility on election integrity.
For the past decade, he has promoted conspiracy theories about election fraud without evidence.
I witnessed the consequences of those lies firsthand on January 6. I was inside the U.S. Capitol when he and his supporters attempted to overturn the election and endangered the lives of law enforcement officers.
Trump’s concern has never been election integrity. His concern has been himself.
His administration is cutting funding for federal election security programs while the Supreme Court threatens voting rights. He has also spent the past year attempting to redraw congressional districts for partisan advantage while promoting what I believe is the largest voter suppression effort in history.
The difference between my administration and this White House is clear.
We don’t deny problems, deflect responsibility or exploit issues for political gain.
We identify problems, fix them, and remain transparent because that’s what accountable government should do.
We will continue working every day to ensure every eligible citizen can vote, every lawful vote is counted, and every reasonable safeguard is in place to protect our elections.
With that, I’ll turn things over to our state’s top election official, Lieutenant Governor Caldwell.
Thank you.
Lieutenant Governor Caldwell: Thank you, Governor.
I’ll leave the technical details to MVC Chief Administrator Rosalie Johnson, but I’d like to speak briefly about New Jersey’s commitment to election integrity.
My responsibility is to ensure New Jersey’s elections are conducted fairly, freely and with integrity so the people of our state remain confident in the democratic process.
We’ve recently learned that individuals in the previous administration failed to protect that responsibility.
We can’t change what happened, but we can understand what went wrong and ensure it never happens again.
We’re actively working to make sure no ineligible voters remain on the rolls.
This administration has always been committed to protecting New Jersey’s elections and the eligible voters who participate in them.
As Secretary of State, I remain in close communication with county and local election officials as we continue preparing for the 2026 General Election.
Here in New Jersey, we’ll ensure every eligible voter can cast a ballot—and only eligible voters.
We’ll safeguard every vote, maintain the public’s confidence and continue operating transparently.
That’s what New Jersey voters deserve.
With that, I’ll turn it over to my colleague, MVC Chair and Chief Administrator Rosalie Johnson.
Rosalie Johnson: Good afternoon.
Thank you, Governor Sherrill and Lieutenant Governor Caldwell.
As the Governor said earlier, our administration takes this issue extremely seriously.
The failure to be transparent in 2024 is simply unacceptable.
MVC has experienced significant challenges over the years, including long wait times and unnecessary bureaucracy.
When I was appointed, we committed ourselves to reforming and modernizing the agency.
We’ve already substantially reduced the Real ID appointment backlog, converted thousands of Real ID transactions from two visits into a single visit, and expanded online self-service options for New Jersey residents.
However, today’s focus is the software error that occurred during 2023 and 2024.
We’re actively working with a new vendor to ensure this type of technical malfunction never happens again, and we expect to launch the new system next year.
I’m also implementing additional safeguards to regularly review the data transmitted to the Division of Elections so we can quickly identify any future system errors.
As administrator, I’ll do everything in my power to ensure this never happens again.
I understand MVC must rebuild public trust.
During my first six months, we’ve worked to strengthen safeguards, modernize operations and create a 21st-century customer experience for New Jersey residents.
That work continues every day.
Ensuring voter registration remains secure and accurate is an essential part of that effort, and under my leadership MVC will remain focused on achieving that goal.
Mikie Sherrill: Thank you all for being here today.
We’ll take a few questions.
Media: Which elections were affected? Did this include the 2024 presidential election?
Mikie Sherrill: The software error began in 2023 and was corrected in 2024.
We’re now actively working to remove the fewer than 400 improperly registered voters from the voter rolls.
Potentially, those individuals could have voted in any election after they were registered.
We’ve launched a full investigation, and I’ll present those findings once it’s complete.
Mikie Sherrill: We have no evidence at this time that any election was swayed.
Media: Governor, Homeland Security has alleged that New Jersey has about 35,000 non-citizens on the voter rolls. What about the remaining 29,000? Have you investigated that number, or do you believe it’s inaccurate?
Mikie Sherrill: These appear to be two separate issues.
I first learned about this software error last Wednesday and immediately launched an investigation. What we’ve shared today reflects what we’ve uncovered so far, and that investigation is continuing.
After President Trump’s remarks, we received a letter from the Department of Homeland Security referencing approximately 35,000 individuals. We’ve asked DHS to provide the evidence supporting that number, including how it was calculated and who those individuals are.
So far, we have not received any additional information.
Media: Do you believe that allegation is part of an effort to lay the groundwork for claims of voter fraud in New Jersey, particularly in the Second Congressional District?
Mikie Sherrill: I believe Donald Trump has done more to undermine confidence in free and fair elections than anyone in my lifetime, including Vladimir Putin.
He repeatedly questioned the legitimacy of the 2020 election, even though it was conducted by his own administration using every available federal resource.
When Congress met to certify that election, an insurrection attempted to stop the peaceful transfer of power.
His administration has since reduced funding for agencies responsible for election security, and he continues to spread misinformation about our elections.
So yes, I believe these latest claims are part of a continuing effort to undermine public confidence in our electoral system.
Media: Including the allegation about non-citizens on the voter rolls?
Mikie Sherrill: He continues to spread misinformation.
If the federal government provides us with credible evidence, we will investigate it, just as we investigate every credible piece of information we receive.
Media: Governor, you said you’ll be looking at additional safeguards. What kinds of safeguards are you considering? Could they include additional requirements for voters at polling places?
Mikie Sherrill: We’re open to any suggestions that legitimately improve election security.
That’s one of the purposes of this investigation. We’ll determine exactly what occurred and identify additional steps we can take to ensure it never happens again.
Right now, our focus is on conducting a thorough investigation, holding people accountable, and being completely transparent with the public.
That’s why we’re holding this press conference today.
We’re notifying everyone who may have been improperly registered, and those notifications will begin going out shortly.
At the same time, we’re working to remove any ineligible registrations from the voter rolls.
As for additional safeguards, we’re already looking at ways to strengthen election security.
For example, our Innovation Authority is working on updated voter registration pin pads that will be available in five languages instead of only English, helping reduce confusion during the registration process.
We’ll continue evaluating other improvements as well.
Media: Does this incident cause you to reconsider New Jersey’s policy of allowing certain immigrants to obtain driver’s licenses?
Mikie Sherrill: No.
I see no reason why New Jersey can’t successfully operate both an effective driver’s licensing system and a secure election system.
If a technical problem occurs, it should be identified and corrected quickly.
To me, this isn’t a problem with state law. It’s a problem with accountability and ensuring government functions properly.
It’s a failure of oversight and responsibility.
Media: What agencies are conducting the investigation? When do you expect it to be completed? And are you looking into whether any criminal conduct occurred?
Mikie Sherrill: We’ve retained an independent firm, CSG, to conduct the investigation.
We’ve asked them to move as quickly as possible. Some of the numbers we’ve shared today—including the estimate of approximately 6,600 registrations and fewer than 400 votes—came from their initial work to help us understand the scope of the issue.
Our priority is ensuring that every ineligible voter is removed from the voter rolls before the next election.
I don’t want to impose an artificial deadline if it means sacrificing a thorough investigation.
As for potential criminal conduct, we haven’t reached any conclusions. I only learned about this last Wednesday, so all options remain on the table.
Media: Changing topics, severe storms are expected this afternoon and tonight, with the potential for flooding, hail and tornadoes. Is the state taking any specific preparations?
Mikie Sherrill: We’ve been on heightened alert because of the severe weather we’ve experienced over the past several days.
JCP&L has brought in additional mutual aid crews to respond to potential power outages.
Residents should pay close attention to weather advisories. Heavy rainfall is expected across much of the state, with flash flooding possible, particularly in northern New Jersey.
As you mentioned, there’s also the potential for hail and isolated tornadoes.
I encourage everyone to exercise caution. Trees can become especially dangerous during storms, and people should avoid driving through flooded roadways or any areas experiencing flash flooding.
Media: You keep talking about accountability. What does accountability actually look like?
Mikie Sherrill: It starts with transparency.
People deserve to know what happened, and they deserve confidence that we’ll get to the bottom of it.
If this investigation identifies individuals who remain in positions of responsibility and failed to do their jobs, I will hold them personally accountable.
I’ve said repeatedly that public service is both a privilege and a responsibility.
When government employees fail to fulfill that responsibility, people can be harmed.
In this case, individuals who, through no fault of their own, were improperly registered to vote may now face consequences involving their immigration status.
We’re doing everything we can to protect those individuals.
The responsibility lies with those who knew about the problem and failed to address it.
That was wrong.
Media: Are you concerned the federal government could pursue criminal charges against those individuals?
Mikie Sherrill: It would be extraordinarily hypocritical for the state to pursue charges against people when the mistake originated with our own system.
That said, I wouldn’t put anything past the federal government.
We’re working very hard to identify ways to protect the people affected here in New Jersey.
Media: Does protecting them mean you won’t release their personal information to the federal government?
Mikie Sherrill: We are not in the practice of providing personally identifying information to the federal government, particularly given this administration’s continued efforts to use that information against people.
Rosalie Johnson: The vendor involved was Idemia.
We’re transitioning to Thales, which has an established record of maintaining high standards for data integrity and system security.
Media: Are you concerned the investigation could uncover additional problems with the vendor?
Rosalie Johnson: I don’t want to get ahead of the investigation.
If anything else is identified, those findings will be included in the final report.
Media: One more question. A Roxbury councilman and county Republican chairman suggested the Trump administration should reverse course on the proposed Roxbury detention facility because you celebrated the court’s ruling against the project. What’s your response?
Mikie Sherrill: Just to clarify, that was a councilman, not the mayor.
I acknowledged that we prevailed in court. That doesn’t somehow justify reversing a court decision.
Here’s the reality: the federal government overreached, lost in court, and now they’re dealing with the consequences of that decision.
When you make poor decisions, you often lose in court.
The court ruled that this facility cannot be built there.
If they choose to continue litigating the issue, I believe we’ll continue to prevail because a 2,000-person detention facility is not appropriate for that location.
The proposed site lacks adequate restroom facilities, sewer capacity and roadway infrastructure to support a project of that size.
Thank you, everyone.
