The White House has ousted the last sitting members of the federal body that advises and certifies election systems, a departure that officials say could complicate election administration just months before the midterm elections.
Commission functions, now left vacant
The Election Assistance Commission (EAC) acts as a national resource on election administration. Its responsibilities include accrediting testing laboratories, certifying voting systems and maintaining the national mail-voter registration form created under the 1993 National Voter Registration Act. With the recent departures, the commission now has no active commissioners.
| EAC role | Example function |
|---|---|
| Clearinghouse | Information on election administration |
| Accreditation | Testing labs for election equipment |
| Certification | Voting systems |
| Forms | National mail-voter registration form |
How the departures happened
- One Republican appointee resigned.
- The two Democratic appointees were notified of their termination by email from the White House presidential personnel office.
The message seen by Reuters informed commissioners their roles were being ended immediately. The email stated:
“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.”
Reactions and legal framework
Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes called the move “irresponsible and dangerous,” saying it risks creating “chaos for our election officials across this country” and undermines nonpartisan election administration. The EAC was created by the Help America Vote Act of 2002, which authorizes the president to appoint replacements to the commission, but the path forward to restore the commission’s membership was not immediately clear.
The actions follow public positions by President Donald Trump and some administration officials pushing for changes to mail voting policies and renewed scrutiny of the 2020 presidential election results. The White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Reuters contributed reporting.
The abrupt removal of the commission’s members leaves a federal agency responsible for technical and administrative election support without its bipartisan leadership at a moment when election officials say stability and nonpartisan guidance are essential to public confidence and logistical planning for the November contests.
