Democratic lawmakers told Fox News Digital they agree New Jersey's voter registration error demands accountability but say it doesn't justify claims of widespread election fraud.
The reaction follows New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill's disclosure Tuesday that a "serious software error" led to the mistaken registration of roughly 6,600 noncitizens through the state's Motor Vehicle System — a story that has since deepened into a broader GOP push on election integrity.
Sherrill said she immediately ordered an investigation after the error was discovered and that the state's Division of Elections is removing ineligible voters from the rolls. She said fewer than 400 of those improperly registered cast ballots. The company that provides the identity-related security services denied any wrongdoing.
Sen. Andy Kim, D-N.J., called the situation "horrible" and said the state needs accountability. "In New Jersey, we absolutely need to have accountability for what happened," Kim said. "It was just horrible. There was a big problem with that computer problem that they had. We need to try to address that going forward."
Kim said states should be given the tools to keep voter rolls accurate rather than relying on the Department of Homeland Security's findings. DHS found roughly 250,000 potential noncitizens who may be registered to vote across New Jersey, California, Nevada and Pennsylvania during a preliminary review.
"The main thing is making sure states have what they need," Kim said. "I don't trust the idea that we're just going to mesh it with some DHS database. That's where a lot of the problems come in, but we should all be making sure we're looking out for election integrity."
Kim also pushed for improving election technology and maintaining paper trails. "I've been pushing on that. Why don't we get behind that?" he said.
Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, pointed to state and county officials, saying they must ensure "only those who are eligible to vote, vote."
Sen. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., said those involved should be "held accountable" but added that noncitizen voting "remains extremely rare." "I have always said that people should have to prove that they are who they say they are before they vote, and we have systems in place to ensure that happens, which is why noncitizen voting remains extremely rare," Warnock said.
Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., called the error "not acceptable" and pointed to Virginia's voter ID requirements and election audits. "We do have an ID requirement in Virginia," Kaine said. "We also have audits of elections, and we've never found there to be a noncitizen voting problem."
Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., praised Sherrill for coming forward in a "transparent manner" and said election software should be continuously reviewed. "We need to constantly be looking at election software and making sure," she said.
Rep. Ritchie Torres, D-N.Y., dismissed President Donald Trump's claims of widespread election fraud as "a figment of his imagination." "There's no evidence for it, and I'm not going to validate his false narratives," Torres said.
The comments also come after House Democrats largely opposed a legislative package combining a congressional stock trading ban with federal voter ID measures. Rep. Seth Magaziner, D-R.I., said he supports a "simple" voter ID law but opposed the House GOP bill because he said it went beyond a basic ID requirement.
If they put up a simple voter ID bill for an up-or-down vote without any of the other bulls--- in it, I would vote for it.
"I think a lot of people on both sides would, too," Magaziner added. "But they keep adding other stuff, like gutting mail ballots, and that was the problem with yesterday's bill."
The fracture leaves both parties agreeing something broke in New Jersey — and disagreeing on everything that should happen next.