President Donald Trump has dismissed the remaining election commissioners ahead of the upcoming midterms. Election Assistance Commission (EAC), responsible for supporting election administration across the United States, has now lost its last three officials. This comes just months before voters head to the polls for the 2026 midterms.
The Election Assistance Commission shake-up lands months before the 2026 midterms
The independent, bipartisan commission was stripped of its leadership through a combination of a resignation and direct firings. The sole Republican appointee, Christy McCormick, resigned. Meanwhile, Democratic appointees Thomas Hicks and Benjamin Hovland were notified of their immediate termination. They received a short email from the White House Presidential Personnel Office.
“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,” the email stated, as reported by Reuters. A fourth commissioner had already left the agency in April, leaving the commission completely vacant.
The White House defended the decision, stating the President “reserves the right to remove individuals that may not be totally aligned with the important task of securing America’s elections.” The official cited a recent Supreme Court decision granting Trump greater authority to fire members of independent agencies as legal precedent.
The EAC serves as a national clearinghouse for election administration. It certifies voting systems and maintains the national mail voter registration form. Its sudden decapitation by Trump has triggered warnings from state election officials preparing for the November midterms.
Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes condemned it. “It is irresponsible and dangerous that this Administration remains dead set on causing chaos for our election officials across this country,” Fontes said. “This move undermines the integrity of nonpartisan election administration.”
The firings align with Trump’s long-standing push for federal intervention in voting processes traditionally managed by states. However, established by the Help America Vote Act of 2002, the commission requires four commissioners split evenly between the two major parties. All four need Senate confirmation. While the law permits the president to appoint replacements, the administration has not clarified how it will proceed.
Originally reported by Devanshi Basu on Mandatory.
