Federal judge blocks DOJ access to New Jersey unredacted voter rolls

Key Points:

• A federal judge in New Jersey blocked the Justice Department from accessing the state's unredacted voter rolls, citing voter privacy concerns in a ruling by District Judge Zahid Quraishi, a Biden appointee.
• The DOJ had sued several states, including New Jersey, for access to voter rolls under Title III of the Civil Rights Act, but Quraishi ruled that the law does not apply to New Jersey's computerized voter registration list.
• The ruling comes amid a controversy in New Jersey involving a software error that mistakenly registered about 6,600 noncitizens to vote, with the state investigating and removing ineligible voters from the rolls.
• New Jersey officials, including Gov. Mikie Sherrill and Sen. Andy Kim, acknowledged the error and emphasized the need for accountability, noting that fewer than 400 improperly registered voters cast ballots.
• Additional reports revealed that approximately 75,000 noncitizens were summoned for jury duty, expanding concerns and prompting calls from Republicans for a broader investigation into state database management.