President Donald Trump on Thursday terminated the remaining members of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission, abruptly stripping the small but influential federal agency of its appointed leadership just as the 2026 midterms come into view. With its commissioners gone, the commission loses its power to adopt guidance, certify voting systems or approve grants until replacements are nominated and confirmed.
According to Action News Now, the White House Presidential Personnel Office emailed the commissioners to say their positions were terminated "effective immediately." The notices landed on Thursday and followed earlier turnover that had already left the agency with a shrinking roster.
What the EAC does
Created by Congress under the Help America Vote Act of 2002, the Election Assistance Commission was designed as a backstage operator for American democracy. The agency develops guidance for election administrators, accredits testing laboratories, certifies voting equipment and oversees key federal grant programs. As outlined by the U.S. Election Assistance Commission, it also maintains the national mail voter registration form and has administered hundreds of millions of dollars in federal support to help states and localities run elections.
Why experts are alarmed
Election officials and voting rights advocates say clearing out the top of the agency at this moment is a risky move that could rattle public confidence and slow routine work that usually unfolds far from the spotlight. Former Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes warned that the firings "undermine the integrity of nonpartisan election administration," while Michael Waldman of the Brennan Center called the terminations deeply concerning in light of recent efforts to influence voting rules, according to Action News Now.
Legal questions and what comes next
Under the Help America Vote Act, commissioners are nominated by the president and confirmed by the U.S. Senate, and they are allowed to stay past the end of their terms until successors are in place. Without a quorum of commissioners, however, the agency cannot adopt formal guidance or take core actions such as certifying voting systems or approving grants, which could leave key Election Assistance Commission responsibilities on hold until new nominees are seated, according to the U.S. Election Assistance Commission.
The White House will now have to put forward new commissioners and the Senate will need to confirm them before the agency can resume formal votes. In the meantime, state and local election officials, who actually run elections, will keep preparing for November. The empty chairs in Washington, however, leave open questions about how smoothly federal coordination on equipment certification and grant oversight will run as the midterms draw closer.
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