The French technology company that Gov. Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ) has blamed for New Jersey’s voter registration error still holds two other multimillion-dollar contracts with the state, raising questions about why only one agreement is being targeted for termination.
State records show IDEMIA, the French identity technology company at the center of the voter registration controversy, holds three New Jersey contracts that have resulted in more than $61 million in payments to date, the New Jersey Monitor reported.
While Sherrill has said the company is being removed from its work with the Motor Vehicle Commission, IDEMIA continues to provide fingerprinting and background-check services under separate agreements with the New Jersey State Police and other state agencies.
The governor’s office did not return an email from the Washington Examiner on Tuesday seeking comment about whether those contracts are also being reviewed. IDEMIA has disputed Sherrill’s account of what went wrong.
That unanswered question has become a point of contention among Republicans, who argue the governor’s position is difficult to reconcile. If the company cannot be trusted with technology tied to voter registration, they ask, why should it continue handling other sensitive government functions?
Assemblywoman Dawn Fantasia (R-NJ), who has called for lawmakers to launch a bipartisan investigation, said the state’s response appears inconsistent.
“If Idemia really was the problem here and lost the state’s confidence, why would we be concerned with that and not actual background checks?” Fantasia told the New Jersey Monitor.
The dispute stems from Sherrill’s announcement last week that approximately 6,600 noncitizens were mistakenly added to New Jersey’s voter rolls over a one-year period beginning in June 2023. According to the governor, a software problem caused applicants who identified themselves as noncitizens at the Motor Vehicle Commission to be recorded as U.S. citizens instead. Roughly 400 of those individuals ultimately cast ballots.
Sherrill said Thursday that the Motor Vehicle Commission had already begun ending its relationship with IDEMIA because the company “was at the heart” of the failures.
“The commissioner was already in the process of removing them for their incompetence,” she said.
The contract now slated for termination covers services tied to enhanced driver’s licenses. It was awarded in 2010, runs through January 2027, and has resulted in roughly $35.7 million in state payments.
‘Inherited a problem’
Sherrill has also faulted former Gov. Phil Murphy’s administration, saying the registration problems originated while he was still in office.
“It is unacceptable that no one in the previous administration brought this to light, demanded accountability, or took action when it happened years ago,” she said.
Murphy spokesman Mahen Gunaratna said the former Democratic governor had never been informed of the issue before Sherrill made it public.
“Prior to Tuesday, Governor Murphy had no knowledge of any software glitch at the Motor Vehicle Commission that resulted in non-citizens being inadvertently added to New Jersey’s voter rolls,” Gunaratna said. “He applauds Governor Sherrill for initiating a review and looks forward to the findings.”
On Tuesday, Sherrill’s office issued a lengthy statement outlining the steps it has taken to address the issue.
“Over the last seven days, we’ve moved aggressively on multiple fronts — reaching out directly to those affected and beginning the process of correcting the voter rolls,” the governor said. “MVC has mailed letters to the individuals who were impacted by this software error. To supplement those notifications, we’ve launched a website with answers to frequently asked questions, information about the voter registration review process, and support resources.
“At the same time, the Division of Elections has begun a process to remove more than 4,500 individuals who were registered solely through this software error. The remaining registrations will be referred to county election officials for additional review to ensure that any lawfully registered voters are not being disenfranchised,” she said. “We are taking this extra step because our initial review indicates that a number of these individuals may be citizens. That has been the case in other states where clerical and administrative voter registration errors have occurred, and we’re determined to get this right.”
Sherrill reiterated that she “inherited a problem.”
“We didn’t hide it. We didn’t deny it,” she said. “We’re investigating it. And we’re going to fix it, the right way.”
Republicans have criticized her comments and actions, arguing the state’s response warrants further investigation and alleging a cover-up.
Assemblyman Greg McGuckin (R-NJ) said he believes officials intentionally withheld information after learning of the registration problem.
“According to Gov. Sherrill, the Murphy administration knew about these illegally registered voters in 2024 and did nothing,” McGuckin told the Washington Examiner. “New Jersey deserves to know which public officials conspired to hide this and why Sherrill isn’t naming names.”
He also questioned the timing of Sherrill’s announcement, noting that it came after the Justice Department sued the state over access to its voter registration records.
“It is no coincidence that the governor came clean only after the DOJ subpoenaed New Jersey voter records,” he said.
McGuckin also called for the suspension of New Jersey’s automatic voter registration program through the MVC and argued that anyone responsible for withholding information from the public should face prosecution.
The issue has since become part of a broader political fight over election integrity. President Donald Trump has criticized New Jersey’s handling of the registrations.
A broader relationship
Idemia’s footprint in New Jersey government extends well beyond the MVC.
A second contract, awarded in 2019, supports the state police’s electronic fingerprinting system and has cost the state about $3.8 million. A third agreement, also signed in 2019, allows the company to conduct electronic fingerprinting, background checks, and other screening services for agencies throughout the state government. That contract has generated another $21.6 million in payments and is scheduled to expire in May 2027.
Fantasia said the administration should not rush to cancel contracts before determining exactly what caused the registration failures.
“Without an investigation, I think we’re setting ourselves up for a serious lawsuit,” she said. “If the flag we’re carrying is we’re getting rid of them because of this software glitch, that has yet to be proven. That’s an assertion by the governor. The vendor denies it. So to me, that’s hardly irrefutable evidence.”
VENDOR REJECTS SHERRILL’S CLAIM ‘SOFTWARE ERROR’ BEHIND NJ VOTER REGISTRATION
The controversy has also spilled into Washington.
Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) has asked federal budget officials to review every federal contract involving IDEMIA, arguing the New Jersey incident could point to wider vulnerabilities. The company performs work connected to TSA PreCheck, U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s biometric entry-exit system, Defense Department identity programs, and driver’s license technology used by dozens of states.
“A ‘small’ software issue like what happened in New Jersey could, right now, be allowing improperly vetted individuals to enter our airports and board our airplanes,” Gottheimer said.