Overview
- On Thursday, President Trump ousted the three remaining EAC commissioners by firing two Democrats via White House email and accepting one Republican resignation, leaving all four statutory seats vacant.
- With no confirmed commissioners the EAC cannot take any actions that need a three-member vote, which includes certifying voting systems, updating the national mail voter registration form, and approving some grant and lab-accreditation decisions.
- The White House cited the Supreme Court’s recent Trump v. Slaughter ruling as its legal basis for the removals and said the seats will be filled, but any new members must be nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate.
- Reporting indicates White House officials had explored ways to bypass the EAC, including emergency measures to force changes to voting systems, and legal experts and voting-rights groups say litigation is likely to test whether the new removal doctrine applies to bipartisan commissions.
- The EAC was created under the 2002 Help America Vote Act to advise states, certify equipment, and maintain the national voter registration form, and the coming weeks will determine whether the agency is restored before the 2026 midterms or remains constrained by political and court fights.