Key facts
- President Donald Trump terminated the remaining three members of the Election Assistance Commission.
- The commission is a bipartisan, four-member federal body that assists election administration officials.
- The terminations occurred via email from the White House Presidential Personnel Office.
- The move follows Trump's advocacy for changes to vote-by-mail requirements and investigations into the 2020 election.
- Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes criticized the decision, stating it undermines election integrity.
U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday terminated the remaining members of the Election Assistance Commission, an independent federal body that assists election administration officials nationwide. The remaining three commissioners were forced out, with one Republican appointee resigning and the two Democratic appointees notified of their termination via email from the White House Presidential Personnel Office.
The Election Assistance Commission serves as a national clearinghouse of information on election administration, accredits testing laboratories, certifies voting systems, and maintains the national mail voter registration form. The terminations follow President Trump's and top administration officials' advocacy to change vote-by-mail requirements and investigations into the 2020 election outcome.
Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes stated that the move is irresponsible and dangerous, causing chaos for election officials and undermining the integrity of nonpartisan election administration. The 2002 law that established the commission allows the president to appoint replacements, though it is unclear how Trump will proceed.