Why New Jersey’s erroneous noncitizen enrollment is far from proof of election fraud

Lead

New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill announced on Tuesday that a software error led to approximately 6,600 noncitizens being registered to vote in the state between 2023 and 2024, with fewer than 400 of those individuals casting ballots. The disclosure has reignited a national debate over election integrity, with President Donald Trump and his allies seizing on the incident to advocate for stricter voter registration requirements.

Coverage Comparison

The Guardian and the Jerusalem Post both reported the core facts: the software error occurred during automatic voter registration through motor vehicle offices, and the number of noncitizens who actually voted was a small fraction of those erroneously registered. However, their framing differed. The Guardian emphasized that the incident is "far from proof of the widespread fraud that Republicans allege," while the Jerusalem Post focused on Trump's use of the news to push his longstanding claim that non-citizen voting is widespread.

Both outlets noted that studies show such incidents are rare and often result from administrative errors rather than fraudulent intent. The Guardian highlighted that Trump's own administration expressed less certainty about the number of noncitizens on voter rolls, while the Jerusalem Post mentioned the White House's push for the SAVE America Act, which would require proof of citizenship at registration.

Key Claims

• Approximately 6,600 noncitizens were accidentally registered to vote in New Jersey between 2023 and 2024 due to a software error, as reported by both The Guardian and the Jerusalem Post.
• Fewer than 400 of these noncitizens actually cast ballots, according to Governor Sherrill's announcement, as reported by both outlets.
• President Trump has claimed that non-citizen voting is widespread, a claim for which he has not presented evidence, according to the Jerusalem Post. The Guardian reported that Trump asserted in a prime-time speech that the Department of Homeland Security identified 278,000 noncitizens on voter rolls in New Jersey and three other states, but a Guardian review of DHS letters showed the agency expressed less certainty and offered no methodology.
• Both outlets cited studies indicating that non-citizen voting is extremely rare and often a result of error rather than fraudulent intent.
• The White House has pushed for the SAVE America Act, which would require Americans to provide proof of citizenship when registering to vote, as reported by the Jerusalem Post. The Guardian also mentioned this legislative push.

Perspectives

Governor Mikie Sherrill (Democrat): According to both outlets, Sherrill announced the software error and noted that the number of noncitizens who actually voted was small. The Guardian reported that Sherrill said both Democrats and Republicans were erroneously registered, with the majority unaffiliated.

President Donald Trump and White House: The Jerusalem Post reported that the White House seized on the disclosure to press Trump's claim that non-citizen voting is widespread and to advocate for the SAVE America Act. The Guardian reported that Trump and his allies inflated the number of erroneously registered noncitizens and claimed that non-citizen voting benefits Democrats, without providing evidence.

Experts and voting rights groups: Both outlets noted that experts say non-citizen voting is rare and often due to error. The Guardian reported that voting rights groups and Democrats argue the SAVE America Act would disenfranchise legitimate voters, particularly younger voters, people of color, and lower-income workers who may lack required documentation.

Department of Homeland Security: The Guardian reported that DHS letters to states expressed less certainty about the number of noncitizens on voter rolls and offered no explanation of its methodology, though no direct quote from DHS was provided in the material.