White House considered emergency plan to bypass election agency before leadership removals
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The Trump administration explored a national-emergency proposal to sideline the Election Assistance Commission, then dismissed its Democratic members, leaving the agency without a quorum.
The White House reviewed a proposal to declare a national emergency and create a federal task force that would address alleged vulnerabilities in voting systems without involving the Election Assistance Commission (EAC), according to officials familiar with the matter. The plan, which originated from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, was not implemented.
In early November, President Donald Trump removed the two Democratic commissioners of the EAC; the remaining Republican commissioner subsequently resigned, and a fourth commissioner had stepped down earlier in April. The agency remains operational but lacks a quorum, preventing it from approving new business or changes to election procedures.
White House officials said the administration was working to "safeguard elections from fraud and abuse" ahead of the midterm elections. The move follows a recent Supreme Court decision allowing the president to fire members of independent agency boards without cause.
Democratic leaders criticized the firings. > Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said the dismissals were an attempt to seize control of elections before the midterms.
The EAC, created in 2002, distributes federal grants to states, oversees testing of voting systems, and maintains the national voter registration form. Experts note that the leadership changes are unlikely to affect the upcoming midterm elections.