Hundreds of illegals and other noncitizens may have ended up on New Jersey voter rolls for years, with some casting ballots in past elections before later asking to be removed, according to records obtained through public records requests.
The New Jersey Republican Party and the Republican National Committee reviewed voter records from all 21 counties in the Garden State and uncovered multiple cases involving noncitizens pursuing citizenship who asked election officials to remove them from the rolls after discovering they had been registered. Many of those individuals were listed as Democrats.
Federal and state law prohibit noncitizens from voting, and several applicants reportedly feared that appearing on voter rolls could jeopardize their naturalization efforts.
Letters obtained by Fox News Digital from Atlantic County show Superintendent of Elections and Commissioner of Registration Maureen Bugdon confirming that noncitizens had come to her office requesting removal from the rolls.
“Please allow this letter to confirm that on today’s date, the below referenced individual came before this office to confirm her registration and voter status,” the typical letter reads. “She relayed that she did not wish to be a New Jersey registered voter and does not understand how she became registered through the Department of Motor Vehicles, allegedly.”
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Most of the records indicated the individuals had never voted, though some had.
According to county records, one noncitizen who was ultimately removed from the voter rolls in 2015 had cast ballots multiple times in 2000 and 2001 and also voted in the 2008 general election. Another participated in a 2005 primary and a municipal election in 2000.
Other records reviewed by Fox News Digital included state voter registration cancellation forms in which noncitizens themselves requested removal. Most cited “other” as the reason and wrote that they were not citizens.
In Atlantic County alone, Fox News Digital examined more than 50 documents from noncitizens who said they had been registered without their knowledge.
RNC Chairman Joe Gruters said the party has identified hundreds of noncitizen registrants in New Jersey and believes the problem extends beyond those who have voluntarily come forward. He said the RNC has sought voter list maintenance information from 48 states but claims New Jersey and other Democrat-run states have been reluctant to provide details.
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“I mean, it’s really incredible because here the Democrats are saying that, you know, noncitizens never vote, [that], this is a non-issue, but every county we’re finding people that are self-reporting now, and I’m glad we’re doing these records request because it’s really eye-opening, because this is just the people that have self-reported,” Gruters told Fox News Digital.
“You want a democracy that’s secure and elections that are free and safe and that people can depend upon, and people have full confidence in,” he said.
Gruters said the RNC’s election integrity efforts launched during the 2024 cycle remain active and have expanded nationwide.
He told Fox News Digital that the group is “bringing the hammer down” and that it has “boots on the ground” across the country to ensure even more diligence in November.
“We have staffers already in 17 states working on these issues to make sure that, like I said, it goes back to having a safe and secure election that’s free and fair,” he said.
Gruters also pointed to a pending Supreme Court case, Watson vs. RNC, which challenges laws allowing mail ballots cast by Election Day to be counted days later. The RNC hopes the justices will eliminate the practice.
He argued that California’s prolonged vote-counting process following last week’s primary elections underscores the need for change.
He said a win in that case could be “one of our biggest election victories ever.”
“I mean, just what’s happened with [Los Angeles Mayoral Candidate] Spencer Pratt should open your eyes, and you should be sick to your stomach,” he said. “This should not be allowed in America.”
Gruters said lengthy vote-counting periods create opportunities for abuse.
“We’re fighting hard to put an end to this, and this, like I said, this could be probably our biggest win ever from an election integrity standpoint by stopping this and making sure that election day means exactly what it says, election day.”
Democratic New Jersey Gov. Mickie Sherrill’s office did not respond to a request for comment. The New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission and Atlantic County officials also did not respond.
A spokesman for the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission said cases involving noncitizens ending up on voter rolls are uncommon.
“MVC, together with state and local partners across New Jersey, uses rigorous processes to ensure eligible individuals register to vote through the MVC. Consistent with all applicable laws, individuals who apply to register to vote through the MVC affirm their citizenship. While it is exceedingly rare that non-citizens claim citizenship or other voter eligibility through the MVC, such instances are taken extremely seriously by this agency.”
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