President Donald Trump has removed two Democratic members of the Election Assistance Commission (EAC) and the sole Republican member resigned, leaving the independent body without any commissioners just four months before the midterm elections. The move follows a recent Supreme Court ruling that granted the president expanded authority to fire executive branch officials.
The president ordered the dismissal of Benjamin Hovland and Thomas Hicks, both appointed by Congressional Democrats. Republican commissioner Christy McCormick resigned on the same day. Hovland and Hicks were serving on the four-person commission, established in 2002 to facilitate U.S. elections. The departure of all three leaves the EAC's leadership vacant.
A White House official stated that the president "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 official cited the Supreme Court's "Slaughter decision" in late June, which affirmed the president's power to remove executive branch officials.
Prior to these departures, the commission already had one vacancy after Republican Donald Palmer left the agency earlier this year. The EAC is responsible for a range of election-related duties, including maintaining the National Mail Voter Registration Form, testing voting systems, and distributing grants to states.
Any official action by the commission requires the approval of at least three commissioners. It remains unclear when the vacancies will be filled or if the president intends to appoint new members. The White House has not provided a specific reason for the removal of Hovland and Hicks.
Trump has previously sought to reform U.S. elections. In March, he issued an executive order that included a requirement for proof of citizenship for ballots to be counted. The order directed the EAC to modify its guidelines, but a judge appointed by former President Barack Obama blocked the effort in June. The administration has reportedly indicated it plans to appeal this ruling.
The U.S. Constitution assigns oversight of elections primarily to the states and Congress, though the executive branch holds some influence. The EAC was created by Congress following the 2000 election to assist states in improving their election administration processes. In recent years, the commission has approved funding for election official security and worked with states to facilitate mail-in voting during the COVID-19 pandemic.