Minnesota Set A Bad Precedent, And New Jersey Will Follow The Example: Non-Citizens Get Driver’s Licenses, Enabling Voter Fraud

In the wake of Minnesota’s explosive election integrity scandal—where a 2025 legislative hearing exposed how Governor Tim Walz’s “Driver’s Licenses for All” policy allows non-citizens to potentially vote using state-issued IDs under a flimsy “honor system”—New Jersey is barreling toward an even greater vulnerability. A controversial new bill, S1636, rushed through committees and advanced in late 2025, expands automatic voter registration (AVR) at the Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) in ways critics slam as “reckless” and ripe for abuse by undocumented immigrants. With hundreds of thousands already holding standard driver’s licenses since 2021, this expansion could flood voter rolls with ineligible names, tilting elections in a deep-b

Minnesota’s Scandal: The Warning New Jersey Is Ignoring

Minnesota’s controversy erupted in October 2025 when Elections Director Paul Linnell, visibly uncomfortable under questioning by Republican Rep. Patti Anderson, confirmed that a non-citizen with a standard driver’s license could present it as proof of residence, clear any registration challenges, sign a perjury oath falsely claiming citizenship, and vote on the spot. No upfront citizenship verification exists—just reliance on post-election audits and felony threats that critics call meaningless deterrents.

Amplified by viral clips and commentary from figures like Elon Musk, who called it an “election scam,” the hearing highlighted how Walz’s 2023 law handed government photo IDs to an estimated 81,000 undocumented residents. Paired with same-day registration and a “vouching” system letting one voter sponsor up to eight others, conservatives argue it’s a blueprint for systemic fraud, especially in communities leaning Democrat.

New Jersey Democrats appear undeterred, pushing forward with enhancements that echo—and arguably exceed—Minnesota’s risks.

New Jersey’s Long-Standing License Policy Meets Dangerous AVR Overhaul

Since May 1, 2021, under a 2019 law signed by Governor Phil Murphy, undocumented immigrants have been eligible for standard (non-REAL ID) driver’s licenses. No proof of lawful immigration status required—just foreign passports, consular IDs, or utility bills for identity and residency. Estimates peg 450,000 to 500,000 undocumented residents as qualifying, and the licenses look identical to those issued to citizens, with no “not for voting” notation.

Opponents warned from day one about voter fraud risks, given AVR at the MVC. Back in 2021, Republican Senator Kristin Corrado grilled MVC officials, who admitted that “many, if not most” non-citizens presenting unclear documents wouldn’t be auto-exempted from the voter registration prompt—forcing manual opt-outs vulnerable to confusion, language barriers, or intentional misuse. Corrado predicted “thousands or even tens of thousands” of ineligible registrations.

Fast-forward to 2025: S1636, a partisan Democratic bill, revamps and expands AVR procedures, effective January 1, 2026. It mandates automatic transmission of personal data from nearly every MVC transaction—new licenses, renewals, address changes, REAL ID upgrades—to the Secretary of State for voter registration or updates, unless explicitly opted out. No signature required for registration, and critics highlight weakened safeguards, including no mandatory upfront citizenship proof beyond document flags.

One conservative outlet blasted it: “S1636 automatically registers voters through the MVC—without a signature, without clear proof of citizenship and with weaker safeguards than ever.” Republican lawmakers decried the rush, calling it “reckless” and warning it could enable non-citizens—including those with licenses—to slip onto rolls if verification systems glitch or opt-outs are ignored.

The Loophole Breakdown: How Undocumented Immigrants Could Illegally Vote

As much as we’d prefer to pretend otherwise, this system creates a massive vulnerability:

1. Secure the License: Undocumented individual applies at MVC with alternative docs—no U.S. citizenship needed.

2. Trigger AVR: During the transaction, data flows automatically unless opt-out selected (easy to miss amid forms, especially for non-English speakers).

3. Bypass Citizenship Checks: System relies on flagging “clear” non-citizen docs;

4. Register and Vote: Info hits voter rolls. New Jersey requires no photo ID for most in-person voting—only for certain first-timers. The license proves residency if challenged, and eligibility hinges on a sworn oath (felony to lie, but detected only later).

In a state with close congressional or gubernatorial races, even modest illegal voting could sway results. With immigrant populations often favoring Democrats, skeptics see political motive.

Outrage Builds as Trust Erodes

GOP voices are furious, tying it to broader concerns over eroded election trust post-2020. Calls mount for federal intervention via the SAVE Act, requiring proof of citizenship nationwide. In New Jersey, proposals like marking non-citizen licenses distinctly or adding “cannot be used to vote” statements have surfaced, but face Democratic resistance.

Defenders, including election officials, insist safeguards—opt-outs, audits, perjury penalties—prevent widespread issues, citing rare prosecutions. But in polarized times, “trust us” falls flat when auto-enrollment skips hard citizenship gates.

High Stakes Ahead of 2026 Elections

As S1636 heads toward final passage, New Jersey risks eclipsing Minnesota as the next election integrity battleground. If unchecked, this “turbocharged” AVR could allow ineligible ballots to proliferate, undermining citizen confidence. Demands for audits, halts, and reforms grow urgent—America can’t afford another scandal eroding faith in democracy.