President Donald Trump dismissed the remaining members of the federal Election Assistance Commission (EAC) just months before the 2024 U.S. midterm elections [1], [2].
This move removes the bipartisan leadership of a key government agency responsible for election administration during a critical voting cycle. The decision raises questions about the independence of the commission and the oversight of the upcoming midterms.
Trump fired Benjamin Hovland and Thomas Hicks, who served as the two Democratic commissioners of the EAC [1]. Christy McCormick, the Republican commissioner, was allowed to resign [1]. These actions effectively dismantled the commission's leadership structure.
The Election Assistance Commission was created in 2002 [4] to provide a bipartisan framework for election security, and accessibility. By removing the commissioners, the administration has shifted the agency's operational status shortly before a national election.
Some reports have caused confusion regarding which agency was affected. While some sources identified the Federal Election Commission (FEC) as the target of the dismissals [2], other reports clarified that the actions were taken against the Election Assistance Commission [1]. One report said Trump fired the remaining three members of the FEC [2], but the primary record identifies the EAC members as those removed.
The removal of the commission members occurred in the weeks leading up to the 2024 midterms [1]. The administration's goal was to remove the bipartisan leadership of the commission ahead of those elections [1], [2].
“Trump fired Benjamin Hovland and Thomas Hicks, the two Democratic commissioners of the Election Assistance Commission.”
The dismissal of the EAC commissioners removes a nonpartisan layer of oversight and technical support for state and local election officials. Because the EAC is tasked with certifying voting systems and providing best practices for election administration, a leadership vacuum during a midterm cycle could impact the consistency of election standards across different states.
