The Trump administration has removed the remaining members of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC), leaving the independent federal body responsible for supporting election administration without any sitting commissioners just months before the 2026 midterm elections.
The White House confirmed that two Democratic commissioners were dismissed, while the commission’s lone remaining Republican member stepped down. A fourth commissioner had already left the agency earlier this year, resulting in the complete absence of leadership at the bipartisan commission.
According to people familiar with the matter, the Democratic commissioners received termination notices from the White House Presidential Personnel Office informing them that their appointments had ended with immediate effect. The White House later confirmed the move, stating that the president has the authority to replace officials who are not fully aligned with the administration’s priorities on election security.
In a statement, the administration said the president, as head of the executive branch, retains the authority to remove officials from independent agencies, pointing to a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling that expanded presidential power over such appointments. The White House added that it is working with federal agencies and local election officials to strengthen election integrity, prevent fraud, and ensure that only legally cast ballots are counted ahead of the November midterm elections.
The dismissals come at a time when the administration has sought a greater federal role in election oversight, an area that has traditionally been managed by individual states. They also follow renewed efforts to revisit voting procedures, including mail-in ballot policies, and continued scrutiny of the 2020 presidential election.
The Election Assistance Commission was created by Congress through the Help America Vote Act of 2002 to improve election administration nationwide. The agency develops guidance for election officials, accredits laboratories that test voting equipment, certifies voting systems used across the country, and oversees the national mail voter registration form established under the National Voter Registration Act.
By law, the commission is structured as a four-member bipartisan body, with two Democratic and two Republican commissioners appointed by the president and confirmed by the U.S. Senate. The three commissioners who remained in office before Thursday’s action—Thomas Hicks, Benjamin Hovland and Christy McCormick—had all previously received unanimous Senate confirmation.
Although the statute establishing the commission allows the president to nominate replacements, it remains uncertain how quickly new commissioners will be selected and confirmed, leaving questions about the agency’s operations during a crucial election cycle.
The administration’s actions have drawn criticism from some lawmakers. Senator Mark Warner of Virginia described the removal of every remaining commissioner so close to the midterm elections as an unprecedented decision that warrants immediate explanation. He argued that eliminating the commission’s entire leadership raises serious concerns about potential political influence over institutions designed to support the nation’s election system.
The shake-up follows a broader legal and political landscape that has increasingly expanded presidential authority over independent agencies while intensifying debates over federal involvement in election administration. With the commission now vacant, attention is likely to shift toward how and when the administration intends to rebuild the panel before voters head to the polls later this year.
