{"id":2634945,"date":"2026-07-24T18:49:04","date_gmt":"2026-07-24T22:49:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/utm_sourcerssutm_mediumrssutm_campaignnew-jersey-dem-governor-pledges-transparency-blocks-election-docs-release\/"},"modified":"2026-07-24T18:53:31","modified_gmt":"2026-07-24T22:53:31","slug":"utm_sourcerssutm_mediumrssutm_campaignnew-jersey-dem-governor-pledges-transparency-blocks-election-docs-release","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/utm_sourcerssutm_mediumrssutm_campaignnew-jersey-dem-governor-pledges-transparency-blocks-election-docs-release\/","title":{"rendered":"NJ Dem Governor Pledges Transparency, Blocks Election Docs"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">16<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Futm_sourcerssutm_mediumrssutm_campaignnew-jersey-dem-governor-pledges-transparency-blocks-election-docs-release%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2634945&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>new Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill criticized her predecessor, Governor Phil Murphy, for failing to address teh revelation of approximately 6,600 noncitizens on the state&#8217;s voter rolls, with about 400 having voted in elections. She emphasized her commitment to accountability and to preventing future issues, but the state&#8217;s Department of State has refused to release detailed records about the noncitizens, citing an ongoing investigation and legal restrictions. Despite claims that the noncitizens registered under various parties and unaffiliated, specific information remains undisclosed, including voting details and party affiliations, with officials citing privacy and procedural reasons. The federal Department of Justice has demanded that the state preserve all relevant records and provide details on whether and when these noncitizens voted, including their personal information. Sherrill has also expressed distrust towards federal authorities, alleging potential misuse of data. Experts note that New jersey&#8217;s lack of citizenship verification and the large number of noncitizens registered highlight systemic vulnerabilities.republican lawmakers are calling for clearer answers, greater election integrity measures like voter ID laws, and accountability for the state&#8217;s failure to prevent ineligible registrations.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<div>\n<p>New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill unloaded on her predecessor this week in <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2026\/07\/22\/new-jersey-dems-did-nothing-for-years-after-warnings-about-noncitizens-on-voter-rolls\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">announcing <\/a>that Garden State election officials found some 6,600 noncitizens on their voter rolls \u2014 about 400 of whom voted in elections. <\/p>\n<p>Democrat Sherrill \u2014 a leftist identifying as a moderate \u2014 threw under the bus former <a href=\"https:\/\/www.politico.com\/news\/2026\/07\/24\/phil-murphy-says-he-didnt-know-about-voter-software-error-from-his-administration-01011405\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Gov. Phil Murphy, <\/a>also a Democrat, for \u201creckless failures\u201d and an absence of transparency. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis failure didn\u2019t occur under my watch, but accountability starts now,\u201d the new governor said in a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nj.gov\/governor\/news\/2026\/20260721a.shtml\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">statement. <\/a>\u201cI am taking action to prevent anything like it from occurring in the future and make sure those responsible are held accountable.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>But the same old transparency problems remain. <\/p>\n<h2>\u2018Subject to Voter Public Records Laws\u2019<\/h2>\n<p>An official from the New Jersey Department of State\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/nj.gov\/state\/elections\/vote.shtml\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Division of Elections <\/a>said it would not fulfill The Federalist\u2019s request for voter records on the thousands of noncitizens that appeared on the state\u2019s voter registration database. The Federalist asked for the files in part to determine party affiliation of the registered noncitizens, particularly the individuals said to have voted. <\/p>\n<p>Sherrill <a href=\"https:\/\/katv.com\/news\/nation-world\/6600-noncitizens-added-to-voter-rolls-by-mistake-less-than-400-cast-ballots-nj-governor-mikie-sherrill-ballots-software-glitch-driver-license\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">said <\/a>the foreign nationals \u201cwere registered as Democrats, Republicans, and majority unaffiliated and were scattered across the state.\u201d But she has refused to provide anything close to specific numbers. <\/p>\n<p>Alicia D\u2019Alessandro, senior adviser in the New Jersey Department of State\u2019s communications department, said the information would not be released while a state investigation into the matter continues. She could not say when the records would be available to the public.<\/p>\n<p>While government officials may block the release of records during an ongoing investigation, voting information is a matter of public record under provisions in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/crt\/national-voter-registration-act-1993-nvra\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">National Voter Registration Act.<\/a> <\/p>\n<p>\u201cBecause voter registration forms and voter lists are government documents, they are often subject to public records laws,\u201d the Election Assistance Commission notes in an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eac.gov\/election-officials\/voter-lists-registration-confidentiality-and-voter-list-maintenance\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">explainer<\/a> on its website. Voter files cannot include information about who an individual voted for in any election, but they can \u201cinclude a voter\u2019s partisan affiliation, which elections the voter participated in, or the voter\u2019s method of voting.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The Federalist is filing an open records request with the state for the records. <\/p>\n<h2>\u2018Preserve Any and All Records\u2019<\/h2>\n<p>Blocking documents is not a good look for a governor who claims she won\u2019t be like the last guy who wasn\u2019t transparent.\u00a0Sherrill won\u2019t even turn over the information to the Department of Justice, which on Tuesday gave the state five business days to release it. <\/p>\n<p>As The Federalist <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2026\/07\/22\/doj-demands-answers-on-new-jersey-voter-roll-scandal\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">reported,<\/a> Harmeet Dhillon, assistant attorney general for the DOJ\u2019s Civil Rights Division, is seeking the names of the 6,600 individuals identified\u00a0 \u2014 their \u201cfull names, dates of birth, nationalities, residential addresses, and registration dates and locations.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>Sherrill divulged the software\u201cglitch\u201d she claims caused the oversight on Tuesday at a <a href=\"https:\/\/abcnews.com\/US\/new-jersey-accidentally-registered-6600-noncitizens-vote-governor\/story?id=134959825\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">press conference<\/a>. In it, she unironically accused President Donald Trump of making \u201cbizarre conspiracy theories about fraud with no evidence\u201d as the Democrat announced evidence of noncitizens on her state\u2019s voting rolls. <\/p>\n<p>Dhillon also wants Jersey election officials to detail to the DOJ \u201cwhen and where\u201d the noncitizens voted and provide the certification and signature, required under New Jersey law, for those who voted by mail ballot. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cAdditionally, please treat this correspondence as a request to preserve any and all records relating to today\u2019s disclosure,\u201d Dhillon wrote. <\/p>\n<p>Sherrill tried to hide behind her Trump Derangement Syndrome in telling media outlets that her administration has no intention of releasing the information to the DOJ. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe are not in the practice of turning over this kind of personally identifying data over to the federal government because we have seen them weaponize it, I\u2019ve seen it personally,\u201d Sherrill <a href=\"https:\/\/www.democracydocket.com\/news-alerts\/new-jersey-wont-give-doj-data-on-noncitizens-erroneously-registered-to-vote\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">told <\/a>Democracy Docket, operated by Russia Collusion hoax peddler and leftist lawfare kingpin <a href=\"https:\/\/www.influencewatch.org\/organization\/democracy-docket-action-fund-ddaf\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Marc Elias<\/a>. \u201cThey are working to weaponize personal data, and they don\u2019t have a reputation for keeping it private either.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Election law expert Hans von Spakovsky tells The Federalist Sherrill and New Jersey\u2019s leftist resistance movement don\u2019t have much of a legal leg to stand on. Perhaps they should consult the transparency provisions in the National Voter Registration Act (NRVA) and the<a href=\"https:\/\/www.congress.gov\/bill\/107th-congress\/house-bill\/3295\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"> Help America Vote Act <\/a>(HAVA), he said. <\/p>\n<h2>\u2018Failure of This Magnitude\u2019<\/h2>\n<p>\u201cAn important point about the New Jersey story\u00a0is that the 6,600 aliens were those who checked \u2018noncitizen\u2019 on the form but were registered by the state anyway. And that is how the state was able to find them when it finally realized what was happening,\u201d <a href=\"https:\/\/advancingamericanfreedom.com\/people\/hans-von-spakovsky#:~:text=Hans%20A.%20von%20Spakovsky%20is,of%20law%2C%20and%20government%20reform.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">said <\/a>von Spakovksy, senior legal fellow with The Edwin Meese III Institute for the Rule of Law at Advancing American Freedom. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat we don\u2019t know is how many aliens registered who falsely checked \u2018yes\u2019 that they were citizens.\u00a0Since New Jersey does no citizenship verification, we don\u2019t know what that number is. But clearly 6,600 is not the total of aliens in New Jersey registered to vote.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>Lots of questions remain unanswered as Sherrill promises \u201caccountability.\u2019 <\/p>\n<p>Von Spakovsky\u2019s comments underscore the urgency for passage of the <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2026\/07\/20\/meet-election-attack-bombshell-with-the-save-act-or-there-wont-be-a-republic-left-to-save\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">SAVE America Act<\/a>, which would require proof of U.S. citizenship to register to vote. <\/p>\n<p>Late Friday afternoon Rep. Van Drew, R-N.J., and 18 of his House Republican colleagues sent a letter to Sherrill demanding answers.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhen the state uncovers a failure of this magnitude, it cannot simply acknowledge the problem and move on,\u201d\u00a0the 2nd District congressman said in a <a href=\"https:\/\/vandrew.house.gov\/news\/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2076\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">press release.<\/a> \u201cIf New Jersey\u2019s 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.\u201d<\/p>\n<hr>\n<p>      Matt Kittle is a senior elections correspondent for The Federalist. An award-winning investigative reporter and 30-year veteran of print, broadcast, and online journalism, Kittle previously served as the executive director of Empower Wisconsin.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>NJ Gov. Sherrill blames Murphy for noncitizen voter rolls<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":656,"featured_media":2634946,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Screenshot-2026-07-24-at-5.15.29-PM-1024x580.png","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[4173,49847,12404],"class_list":["post-2634945","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-governor","tag-nj","tag-transparency"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Screenshot-2026-07-24-at-5.15.29-PM-1024x580.png","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2634945","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/656"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2634945"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2634945\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2634949,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2634945\/revisions\/2634949"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2634946"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2634945"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2634945"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2634945"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}