President Donald Trump terminated all three remaining members of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission on Thursday, effectively dismantling the only federal agency devoted exclusively to election administration just four months before the November midterm elections.

The White House confirmed the firings on Friday, stating that the president exercised his authority to remove commissioners Benjamin Hovland and Thomas Hicks, both Democrats, while Republican commissioner Christy McCormick was permitted to resign. The commission had already been operating with one vacancy since earlier this year.

A Move to Reshape Federal Voting Rules

The dismantling of the EAC comes as the Trump administration has aggressively moved to reshape federal voting procedures ahead of the 2026 midterms. The commission, established by the Help America Vote Act of 2002 following the disputed 2000 presidential election, served as a resource for state and local election officials and maintained the federal voting system guidelines used to certify election equipment.

Trump allies have argued that the commission had become an obstacle to necessary election reforms, particularly regarding voter identification requirements and citizenship verification. The administration has pushed for stricter controls over mail-in voting and has sought to impose proof-of-citizenship requirements for voter registration.

Democrats Sound the Alarm

Congressional Democrats and voting rights organizations immediately condemned the move as an unprecedented attack on election integrity infrastructure.

The commission's functions included distributing federal funds to help states upgrade voting equipment, setting voluntary guidelines for voting systems, and serving as a clearinghouse for election administration information. With no commissioners, the agency cannot conduct official business, approve funding distributions, or issue guidance to state election officials.

Constitutional Questions Loom

Legal scholars have questioned whether the president possesses the authority to summarily dismiss members of an independent commission. The EAC commissioners serve four-year terms and previous administrations have traditionally respected the bipartisan structure of the body.

However, the Supreme Court's recent rulings expanding executive authority over independent agencies have emboldened the administration to challenge long-standing norms about the independence of regulatory bodies.

The White House defended the decision, stating that the EAC had failed to adequately address election security concerns and had become an impediment to necessary reforms. A spokesperson indicated that the administration may seek to reconstitute the commission with new members more aligned with the president's election integrity agenda.

States Left to Navigate Alone

The immediate impact will be felt by state and local election officials who relied on the commission for technical assistance, certification of voting equipment, and guidance on best practices. With the midterm elections approaching, several states had pending requests for equipment certification and funding that now face an uncertain path forward.

Election administrators in battleground states expressed concern about the sudden loss of federal support, particularly those implementing new voting systems or addressing cybersecurity vulnerabilities identified in previous election cycles.

The move represents the latest in a series of actions by the Trump administration to assert control over election procedures, following executive orders on voter citizenship verification and ongoing legal challenges to state mail-in voting programs.