Trump fires remaining members of Election Assistance Commission

US admin July 10, 2026 0 Comments

Trump fires remaining members of Election Assistance Commission

President Donald Trump fired the remaining members of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission on Thursday, a White House official confirmed to MS NOW.

The move effectively leaves the bipartisan agency without any commissioners and unable to carry out its official duties just months before the 2026 midterm elections.

The dismissals leave the four-member bipartisan commission vacant after one Republican commissioner, Christy McCormick, resigned and two Democratic commissioners, Thomas Hicks and Benjamin Hovland, were terminated via email by the White House. Without a quorum, the commission cannot take formal action on matters ranging from certifying voting systems to updating election guidance for states.

“On behalf of President Donald J. Trump, I am writing to inform you that your position as Commissioner of the Election Assistance Commission is terminated, effective immediately. Thank you for your service,” the email read, according to Reuters, which reviewed it.

The official also cited the Supreme Court’s landmark ruling in Trump v. Slaughter that expanded the president’s authority to remove officials serving on independent federal agencies when justifying the ouster of the remaining EAC members.

“The President, and head of the Executive Branch, reserves the right to remove individuals that may not be totally aligned with the important task of securing America’s elections and ensuring every legal vote is counted,” the White House official said. “The Slaughter decision gives the President precedence to do so.”

Created by Congress through the Help America Vote Act of 2002 following the disputed 2000 presidential election, the Election Assistance Commission serves as the federal government’s primary agency for election administration. Its responsibilities include accrediting laboratories that test voting equipment, certifying voting systems used by states, administering federal election grants and maintaining the national mail voter registration form.

Federal law provides for four commissioners, no more than two of whom may belong to the same political party. Commissioners are nominated by the president based on recommendations from congressional leaders and must be confirmed by the Senate.

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The move comes as Trump has intensified efforts to reshape federal election policy ahead of November. His administration has pressed states to adopt stricter voting requirements. Earlier this week, the Justice Department warned election officials that they could face criminal penalties if they fail to prevent noncitizens from registering or voting. The Federal Emergency Management Agency also recently threatened to withhold some federal funding from states that do not comply with new election directives.

“The Administration from the start has been working across all agencies and local partners to safeguard elections from fraud and abuse, and investing in a strong infrastructure to sustain that mission especially in the midterm elections,” the official said.

Democrats swiftly condemned the move, arguing that it threatens the independence of the federal agency responsible for supporting election administration.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., called it a “brazen attempt to seize control of our elections before a single vote is cast” in a statement to MS NOW. Schumer vowed that Senate Democrats would “fight this power grab at every turn,” arguing that “the American people — not Donald Trump — will decide the 2026 election.”

Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., said that the reported dismissal of the remaining commissioners “should concern every American, regardless of party,” adding that it raises “profound concerns about political interference.”

Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes also blasted the move and accused the Trump administration of being “dead set on causing chaos for our election officials across this country.”