President Donald Trump fired the remaining members of the Election Assistance Commission on Thursday, a White House official confirmed to MS NOW.
The move effectively leaves the bipartisan agency without any commissioners and unable to carry out its official duties just months before the 2026 midterm elections.
The dismissals leave the four-member bipartisan commission vacant after one Republican commissioner, Christy McCormick, resigned and two Democratic commissioners, Thomas Hicks and Benjamin Hovland, were terminated by the White House. Without a quorum, the commission cannot take formal action on matters ranging from certifying voting systems to updating election guidance for states.
“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,’ according to Reuters, which reviewed the email.
The official also cited the Supreme Court’s landmark ruling in Trump v. Slaughter that expanded the president’s authority to remove officials serving on independent federal agencies when justifying the ousting of the remaining EAC members.
“The President, and 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 White House official said. “The Slaughter decision gives the President precedence to do so.”
Created by Congress through the Help America Vote Act of 2002 following the disputed 2000 presidential election, the Election Assistance Commission serves as the federal government’s primary agency for election administration. Its responsibilities include accrediting laboratories that test voting equipment, certifying voting systems used by states, administering federal election grants and maintaining the national mail voter registration form.
Federal law provides for four commissioners, no more than two of whom may belong to the same political party. Commissioners are nominated by the president based on recommendations from congressional leaders and must be confirmed by the Senate.
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Ebony Davis is a breaking news reporter for MS NOW based in Washington, D.C. She previously worked at CNN as a campaign reporter covering elections and politics.
Emily Hung is an associate White House producer for MS NOW.