New Jersey’s recent voter-registration failure should serve as a warning to every state, including Iowa.
Garden State officials disclosed that a software error at the state Motor Vehicle Commission caused approximately 6,600 people who had identified themselves as noncitizens to be placed on the voter rolls between June 2023 and June 2024. A preliminary review found that fewer than 400 of those individuals later voted, although officials must still determine how many remained noncitizens when ballots were cast.
The lesson is not that every election is riddled with fraud. Nor is it fair to assume that every person erroneously registered did something wrong. According to New Jersey’s own account, the affected applicants answered “no” when asked whether they were citizens. The system failed, not necessarily the applicants.
But that distinction does not make the failure less serious. A voting system should never register someone after that person has expressly stated that he or she is not a United States citizen. Elections depend on accurate voter rolls, reliable procedures and public confidence that every lawful vote counts, and that unlawful votes do not dilute it.
Iowa has spent the last several years strengthening those safeguards.
In 2024, Iowa voters amended the state Constitution to make explicit that only United States citizens may vote in Iowa elections. That language established a clear constitutional rule while preserving the ability of eligible 17-year-olds to participate in a primary when they will be 18 by the general election.
Iowa officials also began comparing voter-registration records with information from the Department of Transportation and federal immigration databases. Iowa used provisional ballots for challenged voters and documentary review to protect both election integrity and the rights of newly naturalized citizens.
The subsequent audit produced sobering but useful results. The Iowa Secretary of State reported in March 2025 that 277 confirmed noncitizens had been registered or had voted, and that 35 noncitizen ballots were counted in the 2024 general election. Those numbers were small compared with nearly 1.7 million ballots cast, but they were not zero. Every confirmed instance deserves attention.
In 2025, House File 954 strengthened citizenship verification at the voter-registration stage rather than waiting until Election Day. Iowa also secured long-term access to the federal SAVE system, giving election officials an additional tool for checking citizenship information and maintaining accurate voter lists.
These measures do not mean Iowa can declare victory and stop looking for weaknesses. A system operated by humans can never be perfect. The proper standard is vigilance joined with due process. Election officials must work consistently to ensure that every eligible voter has the opportunity to vote without having his or her vote cancelled out by an ineligible voter’s participation.
Iowa’s election laws are generally sound. Our officials have taken meaningful steps to verify eligibility, investigate discrepancies and improve the tools available to county auditors. New Jersey’s experience demonstrates why that work matters.
Elections must remain open to every eligible voter, administered honestly, and trusted by the public. They must also be decided only by United States citizens. This is not a partisan issue. Everyone benefits from elections that are open and trustworthy.
Alan R. Ostergren is President and Chief Counsel of the Kirkwood Institute and is a contributing scholar at Iowans for Tax Relief Foundation.
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