WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Donald Trump has removed two Democratic members of the bipartisan U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC), marking the latest step in his administration’s effort to reshape the federal government’s role in election administration.
The White House confirmed July 10 that Democratic commissioners Thomas Hicks and Benjamin Hovland were dismissed from the four-member commission. Republican Commissioner Christy McCormick recently resigned, while former Republican Commissioner Donald Palmer left earlier this year, leaving the agency without any sitting commissioners.
The Election Assistance Commission was created by Congress under the Help America Vote Act of 2002. The independent agency distributes federal grants to states, oversees testing and certification of voting systems, and maintains the national voter registration form. By law, the commission is structured with two Democratic and two Republican members who are nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate.
In a statement, the White House said the president has the authority to remove officials who are not aligned with his administration’s priorities.
“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 and ensuring every legal vote is counted,” the statement said, citing a recent Supreme Court decision expanding presidential authority over independent agencies.
The dismissals follow months of efforts by the Trump administration to change federal election policies. Earlier this year, Trump signed an executive order directing changes that included requiring proof of U.S. citizenship when registering to vote using the national registration form. The Election Assistance Commission had declined to make that change, noting that falsely claiming U.S. citizenship to register or vote is already illegal.
Federal courts have blocked much of the executive order, ruling that the Constitution gives primary authority over election administration to Congress and the states rather than the president. The administration has indicated it plans to appeal those rulings.
Election experts say the commission’s leadership changes are unlikely to affect how elections are conducted in the near term because states retain primary responsibility for administering elections. However, vacancies could delay the approval of federal grants and complicate oversight of voting system testing and certification if new commissioners are not appointed.
On Capitol Hill, Democratic lawmakers criticized the dismissals, arguing they further politicize election administration.
Sen. Alex Padilla of California and Rep. Joe Morelle of New York criticized the dismissals, saying the move undermines an independent agency responsible for helping safeguard elections.
“President Trump is trying to dismantle yet another independent guardrail of our democracy designed to keep elections fair and secure,” the lawmakers said in a joint statement. They added that “purging commissioners just months before the midterm elections” is “a blatant part of his plan to politicize our elections and enable more unlawful and dangerous election interference.”
The White House rejected that criticism, saying the administration is working with federal agencies and state partners to strengthen election security and prevent fraud.
It remains unclear whether Trump intends to nominate replacements for the vacant positions. Any new commissioners would require Senate confirmation.
The dismissals also represent another test of presidential authority following recent Supreme Court rulings. Last month, the court ruled that presidents generally have broad authority to remove members of many independent executive agencies, overturning decades of precedent. The decision has already affected several federal boards and commissions.
Former commissioners, Hicks and Hovland, could challenge their removals in court, potentially setting up another legal dispute over the limits of presidential power and the independence of federal agencies.
