Trump Ousts Final US Election Commissioners
President Trump Disbands Election Assistance Commission
By Decode Today News
President Donald Trump has removed the last remaining members of the independent federal Election Assistance Commission (EAC), leaving the bipartisan body without any sitting commissioners, the White House confirmed on Friday. This significant development occurs just months before crucial November midterm elections, raising heightened scrutiny over the administration of United States elections.
The White House stated that the President, as 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." The administration further asserted its commitment to "working across all agencies and local partners to safeguard elections from fraud and abuse" in the period leading up to the midterms. These actions align with a broader effort by the president to reshape how elections are conducted across the nation, an initiative that has faced numerous challenges in court.
Understanding the Election Assistance Commission's Role
The EAC is an independent office created by Congress in 2002 following the contentious 2000 presidential election, which highlighted the need for a standardized, federal support mechanism for state and local election officials. Its mandate includes creating non-binding election guidelines, certifying voting systems to ensure their reliability and compliance security, and maintaining the national mail voter registration form. By law, the commission is designed to operate with four commissioners, evenly split between Democratic and Republican appointees, to ensure bipartisan oversight and decision-making in election governance framework.
Under the US Constitution, the primary responsibility for election administration falls to individual states, not the federal government. The EAC serves as a supporting, not controlling, federal entity, aiming to enhance the integrity and efficiency of the electoral process nationwide.
Executive Action and Commissioner Departures
The recent dismissals involved the two remaining Democratic appointees, Thomas Hicks and Benjamin Hovland, who were reportedly fired by email on Thursday, according to Reuters. Following these removals, the lone remaining Republican commissioner, Christy McCormick, resigned. Another Republican appointee, Donald Palmer, had already departed in April. These departures leave the agency entirely devoid of its statutory leadership.
This move is the latest in a series of steps by the Trump administration to influence election procedures. Previously, the administration has pushed for stricter vote-by-mail rules and threatened to withhold federal funding from states that did not adopt new election requirements. Earlier this week, letters were sent to election officials warning them of potential prosecution if they failed to remove non-citizens from voter rolls. President Trump has consistently defended these actions as essential for protecting election integrity, repeatedly asserting—without supporting evidence—that his loss in the 2020 election to Democrat Joe Biden was due to fraud.
Past Conflicts and Legal Challenges
The EAC had previously been at odds with the Trump administration over an executive order issued in March 2025. This order called upon the commission to require proof of citizenship on the national mail voter registration form. However, the EAC declined to implement this directive. Subsequently, a federal judge blocked that specific part of the executive order, ruling that the president had exceeded his executive authority. The Trump administration has since appealed this ruling.
It is important to note that voters are already required by law to affirm their citizenship before casting a ballot, as non-citizen voting is illegal in the U.S. Instances of non-citizen voting have been reported as rare.
Supreme Court Ruling Paves the Way
The timing of these firings follows a significant US Supreme Court ruling last month that expanded the President's power to remove members of independent agencies, even without cause. The Court ruled six to three in Trump’s favor, arguing that "neither Congress nor the courts may saddle" the president with executive-branch leaders he does not approve of. This decision provides a substantial legal precedent that bolsters presidential control over such commissions.
While the law permits the President to appoint replacements to the commission, it remains unclear whether President Trump plans to nominate new commissioners or leave the seats vacant, impacting the agency's operational capacity and future enterprise integration efforts with state election systems.
Key Developments Timeline
- April: Republican appointee Donald Palmer departs EAC.
- Last Month: US Supreme Court expands presidential power to fire members of independent agencies.
- Thursday: Democratic appointees Thomas Hicks and Benjamin Hovland fired via email.
- Following Firings: Republican appointee Christy McCormick resigns.
- Friday: White House confirms the removal of all remaining EAC commissioners.
