NJ Governor Sherrill Supports Voter ID But Opposes Federal Bill

New Jersey Democratic Governor Mikie Sherrill says she would back a voter ID law in her state, yet she attacks President Donald Trump's federal SAVE Act push as "voter suppression." A spokesperson for the governor told Fox News Digital on Tuesday that Sherrill supports current rules requiring ID for registration and remains open to strengthening them. The goal is to ensure the strongest, fairest elections possible. Her office issued this statement after local media reports surfaced in July where she stated she does not have a problem with voter ID if it passes New Jersey legislation.

"I'm very opposed to the SAVE Act," Sherrill said at that time. She called it a tool of voter suppression and an attempt to dump all personal identifying information for New Jerseyans into federal government systems, which she opposes. The governor served seven years in the House and voted against the SAVE Act in 2025, with her office describing the measure as an "extreme voter suppression bill." This stance gives New Jersey Republicans a fresh opening to press Democrats on ID laws while she rejects Trump's broader federal election agenda under the SAVE America Act.

Sherrill faces criticism after announcing last month that a Motor Vehicle Commission system error improperly registered roughly 6,600 people who indicated they were not U.S. citizens. The state said fewer than 400 of those newly registered individuals cast ballots because of the glitch. Officials later announced more than 4,500 registrations are being removed while remaining cases undergo additional review since some might be citizens. New Jersey Assembly Minority Leader John DiMaio told Fox News Digital that Sherrill's recent comments mark a "significant shift" after years of Republicans in the Garden State advocating for voter ID.

"But agreeing with us publicly is the easy part," DiMaio said. He added that Democratic legislative leaders control what gets a hearing and a vote, noting Republicans have heard nothing from them so far on the issue. "We've been pushing voter ID and other election integrity reforms for years. The bills are already introduced. We've repeatedly called for hearings and votes. The roadblock has been Democratic legislative leadership," DiMaio stated. He argued the Motor Vehicle System failure exposed serious weaknesses in New Jersey's election safeguards and they still have not heard an answer on what went wrong.

Voter-ID requirements have repeatedly become major partisan fights at the state level, with Democrats and voting-rights groups arguing that some rules make it harder for eligible voters to cast ballots. One of the most prominent battles erupted in Georgia in 2021. The state already required photo ID for in-person voting, but a sweeping Republican-backed election law added identification requirements for absentee voting along with other changes. The backlash went national, with MLB moving its 2021 All-Star Game out of Atlanta and some Hollywood figures threatening boycotts.

"Governor Sherrill served our country in the military and as a public servant because she believes in every citizen's right to participate in our democracy by voting," said a spokesperson in the office of the governor. That is why she has stood firm against MAGA Republicans' voter suppression attempts and Trump's demands for New Jersey voters' personal identifiable information. She has already made voting more accessible by signing the John R. bill.

A spokesperson weighed in on the Lewis Voter Empowerment Act, noting its push for expanded early voting in municipal elections. This law already bars voter intimidation and discrimination while boosting language assistance and mandating extra scrutiny of election changes where history shows past bias.

Meanwhile, Donald Trump keeps his sights fixed on noncitizens appearing on voter rolls. He is renewing his drive to pass the SAVE America Act. That bill would demand documentary proof of U.S. citizenship just to register for federal elections and require photo identification to cast a federal ballot.

"I think they should pass Voter I.D. I think they should pass proof of citizenship, basically SAVE America Act... I think that should be something that we should absolutely get," Trump said in the Oval Office Monday.

Fox News Digital tried to reach the White House for comment on this latest development.