Trump Ousts 3 Election Assistance Commissioners 4 Months Before Midterms
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · Jul 10
Trump Ousts 3 Election Assistance Commissioners 4 Months Before Midterms
3 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Jul 10
Summary
Three remaining Election Assistance Commission members were forced out Thursday, leaving the four-seat bipartisan panel without commissioners just months before the midterm elections.
Two Democratic appointees received White House emails saying their positions were terminated immediately, while the lone remaining Republican appointee resigned.
The commission serves as a national hub on election administration, certifies voting systems, accredits testing labs and maintains the federal mail-voter registration form.
The removals come as Trump officials push changes to vote-by-mail rules and continue scrutiny of the 2020 election; Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes called the move dangerous and chaotic.
The 2002 Help America Vote Act lets a president appoint replacements, but it remains unclear how Trump will reconstitute the commission.
How will states certify voting systems and access federal funds now that the national election commission is empty?
Who now sets the standards for America’s next generation of voting technology with the federal oversight agency disabled?
Could the legal precedent that emptied the EAC now be used to reshape other independent government commissions?
Supreme Court Empowers President to Fire Independent Agency Heads: EAC Shutdown and the Future of U.S. Election Oversight After Trump v. Slaughter (2026)
Overview
On July 9, 2026, President Trump reportedly fired all commissioners of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC), effectively shutting down the agency. This action immediately paralyzed the EAC, leaving it without a quorum and unable to perform major parts of its work, such as updating voting-system guidance. As a result, there are significant delays in crucial election functions, creating a vacuum of support and guidance for state and local officials. With the 2026 midterm elections approaching, these events have profound and immediate consequences for federal election administration and raise serious concerns about election preparedness.