Federal Judge Blocks Federal Demand for New Jersey Voter Records

Federal Judge Blocks Federal Demand for New Jersey Voter Records

2026-07-31 politics

Newark, Thursday, 30 July 2026.
A federal judge rejected the Justice Department’s bid to access New Jersey voter rolls, marking its 19th consecutive court defeat despite revelations that a software glitch improperly registered thousands.

Federal Judge Blocks Federal Demand for New Jersey Voter Records

A federal judge rejected the Justice Department’s bid to access New Jersey voter rolls, marking a significant legal defeat for the Trump administration despite revelations that a software glitch improperly registered thousands [1][2]. U.S. District Judge Zahid Quraishi dismissed the lawsuit on Wednesday, July 22, 2026, siding with the state as its list of registered voters remains under a political spotlight [1][3]. This decision represents the 18th consecutive ruling in favor of states against the federal government’s attempts to obtain voter data, with 30 states currently facing similar litigation [1]. The ruling occurred shortly after state officials disclosed a software error that erroneously registered noncitizens, highlighting ongoing legal friction between federal authorities and state officials over election administration and voter privacy [1][2].

Judge Quraishi, a President Joe Biden appointee, ruled that Title III of the Civil Rights Act of 1960 does not grant federal access to live, state-maintained computerized voter registration databases [2]. The court found that the plain text of Title III applies only to records ‘which come into’ election officers’ possession, distinguishing them from New Jersey’s computerized voter registration list, which the state itself created [2][3]. This interpretation aligns with at least sixteen other district courts and one circuit court that have dismissed similar claims, creating a consistent legal barrier against the Department of Justice’s current strategy [6]. The court noted that granting the DOJ’s request would conflict with the Help America Vote Act and the National Voter Registration Act, which mandate continuous updates to voter lists, whereas Title III prohibits the alteration of records it covers [2].

Software Glitch and Registration Errors

The legal battle intensified following a disclosure by New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill regarding a software error at Motor Vehicle Commission locations between June 2023 and June 2024 [5]. Approximately 6,600 noncitizens were erroneously registered to vote due to the glitch, though fewer than 400 of these individuals cast ballots in subsequent elections [3][5]. This represents a voting error rate of approximately 6.061 percent among the affected registrations [3][5]. Governor Sherrill announced on July 21, 2026, that the state had begun removing more than 4,500 registrations attributed to the technical glitch, while the remaining roughly 2,100 registrations were referred to county election officials for manual review [5]. The vendor responsible for the system, Idemia, has held the contract since 2010 but was not awarded the contract during the recent rebid process, with New Jersey scheduled to transition away from the provider by January 27, 2027 [5].

Political Reactions and Future Litigation

Political responses have been sharp, with Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon stating the Justice Department would continue to fulfill its oversight role and indicating the litigation is ongoing [2][6]. Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Jesus Osete posted “Challenge accepted” on social media after state officials formally rejected a new DOJ request for personal information about the mistakenly registered individuals on July 27, 2026 [2]. In New Jersey, Senate Minority Leader Tony Bucco and Senate Judiciary Committee ranking member Kristin Corrado requested the Governor share noncitizen voter registration data with local election officials to ensure election integrity [5]. Meanwhile, the DOJ has stated it disagrees with the court’s decision and will appeal, ensuring the legal conflict over voter roll access continues into the future [6].

Sources


Department of Justice Voter Data