Committee on House Administration Chairman Bryan Steil, Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, Committee on House Administration Vice Chair Laurel Lee, and Representative Jefferson Van Drew sent a letter to New Jersey’s chief elections officer, Lieutenant Governor Dale Caldwell, seeking documents and communications after the state admitted to adding 6,600 non-citizens to its voter rolls, according to an Aug. 3 announcement.
Approximately 400 of those non-citizens have voted in an election. The letter from the committees raises concerns about the application of federal law in New Jersey regarding accurate voter registration and the impact that failing to identify and remove non-citizens from voter rolls could have on civil liberties. An excerpt from the letter states, “The Committees are concerned about the application of federal law in New Jersey as it pertains to accurate voter registration, as well as the effect that New Jersey’s failure to identify and remove noncitizens from its voter rolls has on the civil liberties of American voters and their ability to elect their representatives.”
The committees further wrote: “Compliance with the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA), the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (NVRA), and the Civil Rights Act of 1960 (CRA) is paramount to defend fundamental American civil liberties and electoral integrity.” The state has until August 17 to comply with this request.
According to the official website, the House Administration Committee serves as a standing committee within the U.S. House of Representatives focused on administrative matters such as oversight of House operations, federal elections—including jurisdiction over congressional contests—and Capitol security. The committee also participates in joint committees related to Library and Printing functions.
The House Administration Committee played a key role in passing the Help America Vote Act in 2002 by allocating more than $3 billion for improvements intended both for accessibility enhancements and fraud prevention measures, according to its official website.