Statement by Lisa Dixon, CEC Executive Director, on news over 6,000 non-citizens were registered to vote in New Jersey:

“Non-citizens have no business voting in American elections. The fact that nearly 400 non-citizens cast ballots without question in New Jersey is a five-alarm fire. But what’s even more troubling is that all of those registered specifically told New Jersey they weren’t eligible to vote, yet New Jersey registered them anyway.

“The simple fact that so many individuals were registered despite confirming their ineligibility creates a crisis for New Jersey voters’ confidence in their election systems, processes, and outcomes.

“Now that New Jersey has identified and disclosed this failure, work can begin to resolve these current issues and to prevent recurrence. Long-term success will rely on the development of a culture of continuous improvement with respect to list maintenance procedures, including compliance with federal law.

“The Center for Election Confidence stands ready to assist with the implementation of best practices, including:

• Confirming eligibility at the time an individual submits an application to register to vote coupled with a periodic review of voter registration lists; and
• Regular and transparent testing of registration systems and list maintenance processes to confirm technical accuracy and compliance with the law.

“American elections must be for American citizens only.”

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