Full Breakdown
Trump Removes All Commissioners of the Election Assistance Commission Ahead of 2026 Midterms
7/11/2026, 4:03:31 AM
Core Event
On Thursday, July 9 2026, President Donald Trump terminated the two Democratic members of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission—Thomas Hicks (chair) and Benjamin Hovland—by email and accepted the resignation of Republican commissioner Christy McCormick. A fourth Republican, Donald Palmer, had left the panel in April. The action left the four-member, bipartisan agency without any confirmed commissioners just months before the November 2026 midterm elections.
Background & Context
The Election Assistance Commission (EAC) was created by Congress in 2002 under the Help America Vote Act to serve as a national clearinghouse for election officials, certify voting equipment, and maintain the federal mail-voter registration form. By law the commission must consist of two Democrats and two Republicans, all appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate.
In late June 2026 the U.S. Supreme Court issued a 6-3 decision in Trump v. Slaughter, overturning decades of precedent and holding that the president may remove leaders of independent agencies without cause. The administration cited that ruling as the legal basis for the EAC dismissals.
Data & Statistics
- The EAC’s statutory composition: four commissioners (max two from any one party).
- Since 2018 the commission has distributed more than $1 billion in election-security grants to state and local jurisdictions.
- It oversees a voluntary testing and certification program for voting systems and accredits the laboratories that conduct those tests.
Why It Matters / Impact
With no commissioners, the EAC “cannot take official action until new members are installed,” meaning it cannot issue new guidance, certify voting machines, or award federal election-security grants. States that rely on EAC certification may face delays in procuring equipment, and the agency’s ability to update the national voter-registration form—an issue Trump has pursued through executive orders—remains frozen. Legal scholars note that the Supreme Court’s removal-power doctrine has not yet been tested on a bipartisan body structured to preserve political balance, creating uncertainty about future agency actions.
Official Statements & Responses
A White House official said 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,” adding that the Slaughter decision “gives the President precedence to do so.” The administration did not indicate whether Trump will nominate replacements or leave the seats vacant.
Criticism & Opposition
Democratic Senate leader Chuck Schumer called the move “a brazen attempt to seize control of our elections before a single vote is cast.” Republican former Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan warned that “when you wake up every day and you just want everybody to call you king, elections are always going to feel inefficient.” Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes labeled the firings “irresponsible and dangerous,” while Senate Rules Committee ranking member Alex Padilla said the purge “is a blatant part of his plan to politicize our elections.”
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Sources differ on whether Christy McCormick was forced to resign or “allowed to resign under pressure.” The White House has not clarified if or when new commissioners will be nominated, and scholars such as Rick Hasen (UCLA) argue that the Supreme Court’s ruling may not extend to agencies like the EAC that are statutorily required to maintain bipartisan balance.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Donald Trump said Republicans should ‘take over the voting.’ Today, he took another step toward doing exactly that,” — Chuck Schumer, Senate Democratic Leader
- “When you wake up every day and you just want everybody to call you king, elections are always going to feel inefficient,” — Geoff Duncan, former Georgia Lt. Gov.
- “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,” — Morgan DeWitt Snow, deputy director of presidential personnel (email)
- “When you’re asking more and more of people without giving them the necessary resources, you know, mistakes happen,” — Benjamin Hovland, former EAC commissioner
- “Purging commissioners just months before the midterm elections and further gutting support for our state and local elections officials is a blatant part of his plan to politicize our elections and enable more unlawful and dangerous election interference.” — Alex Padilla, Senate Rules Committee ranking member
What’s Next
Legal challenges are expected; the dismissed commissioners could sue, potentially prompting the Supreme Court to decide whether the Slaughter precedent applies to bipartisan election bodies. Any new nominees must be confirmed by the Senate, a process that could extend beyond the November 2026 elections, leaving the EAC without a quorum during a critical election cycle.
