Federal Judge Denies DOJ Access to New Jersey Voter Rolls

A federal judge in New Jersey has blocked the Justice Department from accessing the state's unredacted voter rolls. District Judge Zahid Quraishi ruled on Wednesday that providing the rolls could raise privacy concerns for voters. This decision follows the DOJ's earlier lawsuits against several states, including New Jersey, seeking access to voter rolls under Title III of the Civil Rights Act, which Quraishi determined does not apply to New Jersey's computerized voter registration list. The ruling occurs amid ongoing discussions regarding noncitizen voting in New Jersey, where Governor Mikie Sherrill acknowledged a software error that resulted in approximately 6,600 noncitizens being mistakenly registered to vote. Sherrill has initiated an investigation and stated that ineligible voters are being removed from the rolls, with fewer than 400 of those improperly registered having cast ballots. Additionally, reports indicate that around 75,000 noncitizens were summoned for jury duty, prompting calls for further investigation from Republican officials.