Trump ousts Election Assistance Commission members ahead of November midterms

President Donald Trump removed the two Democratic members of the Election Assistance Commission on July 10, leaving the small federal elections agency effectively empty and setting off fresh alarm about the White House's influence over election administration ahead of the November midterms.

The removals targeted Thomas Hicks and Benjamin Hovland, according to reporting first surfaced by VoteBeat and later confirmed by the White House. AP reported that the notices were sent by email and signed by a presidential personnel official.

What The EAC Does

The Election Assistance Commission is a bipartisan federal agency created by Congress in the Help America Vote Act of 2002. It distributes election grants, oversees voting-system testing and certification work, and maintains the national voter registration form used in federal elections.

That role is narrower than the authority held by state election officials, but the commission still provides a federal support and standards function. If the vacancies persist, the agency could lose operational capacity on grants, voting-system standards and election guidance that states and local officials rely on.

Why The Fight Escalated

The commission had previously resisted Trump's push to require proof of U.S. citizenship for voter registration, putting it in direct conflict with the administration's election agenda. AP also reported that the White House said Trump reserves the right to remove officials who are not aligned with securing America's elections.

The move comes after a recent Supreme Court ruling that expanded the president's power to remove officials from independent agencies without cause. That decision appears to have strengthened the White House's position as it asserts more direct control over a small agency that has long operated on a bipartisan model.

Who Was Left

AP reported that the panel's Republican member, Christy McCormick, had already resigned, and former Republican commissioner Donald Palmer left earlier in the year. With Hicks and Hovland removed, the commission was left without active members.

The departures and removals mean the agency's immediate future is uncertain. One open question is whether Trump will nominate replacements or allow the vacancies to remain, limiting the commission's ability to function.

Political Fallout

Democrats quickly framed the removals as another step toward politicizing election administration. Sen. Alex Padilla and Rep. Joe Morelle were among the lawmakers cited in the reporting as raising concerns about the impact on federal election oversight ahead of November.

Their criticism reflects a broader worry that weakening the commission could leave states and local election offices with less federal support on grants, certification and voter-registration materials at a moment when the political stakes are high.

What Happens Next

The immediate questions are whether Hicks or Hovland challenge the removals in court, whether the White House names replacements, and whether the EAC can continue operating with its current vacancies.

Follow-up statements from the commission, the White House or congressional Democrats could also clarify whether the move changes federal election guidance or creates a practical disruption for states preparing for the midterms.