President Donald Trump has removed members of the bipartisan Election Assistance Commission (EAC) that opposed his proposal to require documentation of U.S. citizenship for voter registration. The White House confirmed the action on Friday, which affects the commission responsible for distributing federal grants to states and overseeing voting systems. The president dismissed two Democratic members, Thomas Hicks and Benjamin Hovland, while Republican member Christy McCormick resigned. Former Republican commissioner Donald Palmer had previously left the commission voluntarily.
This decision comes as Trump seeks to influence U.S. election processes, following a Supreme Court ruling that allows the president to dismiss members of independent agency boards without cause. A White House statement emphasized the president's authority to remove individuals not aligned with securing elections. Critics, including Democratic lawmakers, argue that this move politicizes the election process and undermines election integrity. They contend that the commission's previous refusal to modify the national voter registration form to require citizenship documentation aligns with the constitutional authority granted to states over election management.
Experts, such as David Becker from the Center for Election Innovation & Research, suggest that the changes within the EAC will not significantly impact election operations. The commission was established under the Help America Vote Act of 2002, which mandates a bipartisan composition. It remains unclear if Trump will appoint new members or leave the positions vacant, potentially affecting the commission's ability to distribute grants and oversee voting system certifications ahead of the midterm elections.