Rep. Van Drew Leads RSC Members in Letter to New Jersey Governor Sherrill: “A Catastrophic Breakdown of the Most Basic Safeguard in Our Election System”
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Republican Study Committee (RSC) Member Rep. Jeff Van Drew (NJ-02) led House Republicans in sending a letter to New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill after the state revealed they had registered 6,600 noncitizens to vote, enabling roughly 400 of those individuals to cast ballots in American elections.
The letter details the state’s failure to safeguard their elections and demands answers on the scope of the breach. Specifically, Members ask if any election was decided by a margin smaller than the number of illegal ballots, if the state would support proof of citizenship for voter registration, and if they will comply with the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security for an investigation.
For years, Republicans have warned that weaknesses in voter-registration systems may allow noncitizens to vote in national elections and undermine public confidence in the electoral process. House Republicans have advanced legislation to address these concerns by passing the SAVE America Act and components of the bill four times, which would require proof of U.S. citizenship to register to vote and government-issued photo identification when casting a federal ballot.
“According to information released by your administration, these individuals expressly answered “no” when asked whether they were United States citizens while applying for driver’s licenses or identification cards. Despite those answers, a software failure reportedly transmitted their information for voter registration between June 2023 and June 2024. This was not a minor clerical discrepancy. It was a catastrophic breakdown of the most basic safeguard in our election system: ensuring that only eligible American citizens are registered and permitted to vote,” the Members wrote. “Republicans have been sounding the alarm for years about weaknesses in voter-registration systems, inadequate voter-roll maintenance, and the danger that noncitizens may be registered and permitted to vote in national elections, which is illegal under federal law. These concerns have too often been dismissed as exaggerated or unfounded. New Jersey’s admission demonstrates that these vulnerabilities are real and that even a system supposedly designed to screen out ineligible applicants can fail on a massive scale.”
The letter was cosigned by RSC Chairman August Pfluger (TX-11), Vice-Chair Ben Cline (VA-06), and Reps. Chris Smith (NJ-04), Randy Fine (FL-06), Nicole Malliotakis (NY-11), Tony Wied (WI-08), Mike Lawler (NY-17), Abe Hamadeh (AZ-08), Pete Stauber (MN-08), Claudia Tenney (NY-24), Nicholas Langworthy (NY-23), Eli Crane (AZ-02), Clay Fuller (GA-14), Max Miller (OH-07), Dan Meuser (PA-09), Tom Tiffany (WI-07), Stephanie Bice (OK-05), and Tim Moore (NC-14). Members also shared the following statements on the letter:
“When the state uncovers a failure of this magnitude, it cannot simply acknowledge the problem and move on. Our elections depend on accurate voter rolls and safeguards that actually work. What is most concerning about this to me is that these numbers only account for people who selected ‘no’ when asked whether they were United States citizens. They told the truth about their status and were still registered to vote. Who knows how many others may have selected ‘yes’ and were never independently verified? If New Jersey’s system failed even when non-citizens openly identified themselves, then the public deserves to know what protections are in place. This right here is exactly why we should require ID to vote in our elections. We need answers about how this happened, why it was not caught sooner, whether more ineligible registrations remain, and what is being done right now to secure our voter rolls,” said Rep. Jeff Van Drew (NJ-02).
“This disturbing revelation out of Trenton—perhaps only the tip of the iceberg—confirms what Republicans have known all along: that current U.S. voter-registration systems are inadequate, ill-maintained, and putting the integrity and security of our elections at grave risk. This failure is not merely a ‘glitch’—it is a catastrophic and negligent betrayal of election integrity and New Jerseyans’ trust,” said Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04).
“Republicans have been warning about vulnerabilities in our election systems for years, and now we have definitive proof that noncitizens can end up casting ballots in American elections,” said RSC Chairman August Pfluger (TX-11). “Governor Sherrill owes the people of New Jersey a straight answer on whether this failure swung any elections and whether she will finally support requiring proof of citizenship for voter registration. Democrats cannot keep treating election integrity as negotiable when it is the last line of defense for our republic. We look forward to Governor Sherrill's prompt response.”
“The Left has claimed repeatedly that illegal aliens are not voting in our elections, but that clearly is not the case. Democrats have threatened the sanctity of our election process, our democracy, and the very principles our Nation was founded on, and House Republicans are demanding accountability. We have done our job. It is long past time for the Senate to do theirs: carry out the will of the people, pass the SAVE America Act, secure our elections, and ensure only American citizens can vote,” said RSC Vice Chairman Ben Cline (VA-06).
“I join Rep. Jeff Van Drew and colleagues in requesting answers from New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill after a failure in her state’s voter-registration system which improperly added approximately 6,600 noncitizens to the voter rolls and enabled roughly 400 to cast ballots. It’s the latest example of why we need safeguards to ensure only American citizens vote in American elections,” said Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (NY-11).
“The only acceptable number of non-citizens voting in our elections is zero. The right to vote in American elections belongs only to Americans, and what we saw happen in New Jersey is an affront to every citizen. The American people not only deserve answers, but they also deserve election integrity. It is time for the Senate to pass the SAVE America Act to ensure this type of fraud never happens again,” said Rep. Tony Wied (WI-08).
“For years, Democrat politicians have been gaslighting and lying to the American people by claiming that illegal immigrants do not vote in American elections. What happened in New Jersey proves otherwise and further exemplifies just how urgent it has become to pass the SAVE America Act to secure the integrity of our elections. I was proud to join my Republican Study Committee colleagues in sending a letter to New Jersey Governor Sherrill demanding answers on how 6,000 non-citizens ended up on her state’s voter rolls. We will not allow the left to continue to dismiss these legitimate concerns,” said Rep. Pete Stauber (MN-08).
“For years, Democrats have been gaslighting the American people that this never happens and concerns were automatically dismissed as racism. Various auto enrollment programs have systematically undermined the integrity of the voter rolls and are proof why voter ID is so essential. This gross miscarriage of our election system demands an in-depth investigation and there should be a 50 state audit of voter rolls across the country – the foundation of our republic is dependent on it,” said Rep. Nicholas Langworthy (NY-23).
“For years, Democrats and the mainstream media insisted that noncitizens registering to vote was a fictitious problem. Today, we have undeniable proof that thousands of noncitizens were registered to vote in one state as others failed to do enough to protect their voter rolls. We must require proof of citizenship when registering to vote and an ID when casting a ballot. Americans overwhelmingly support basic protections for our elections,” said Rep. Dan Meuser (PA-09).
“The fact that thousands of noncitizens were added to voter rolls and hundreds cast ballots is completely unacceptable. Election integrity depends on enforceable safeguards and accountability, and Americans deserve confidence in the outcome of every election. We have clear evidence that voter fraud is occurring, and Americans deserve answers,” said Rep. Tim Moore (NC-14).