Former Election Assistance Commission Chair Discusses Impact of Recent Firings

The Election Assistance Commission (EAC), a bipartisan federal agency that supports state and local election officials, lost its remaining commissioners after President Trump terminated them last week. Former chair Thomas Hicks, who served on the EAC for more than ten years, told PBS that he received a notice of his dismissal by email shortly after a conversation about attending a secretaries-of-state conference.

Hicks said he had not received any warning and noted that over 400 election officials from both parties had reached out to express appreciation for his work. He emphasized that the agency’s functions—distributing Help America Vote Act funds, auditing those funds, serving as an information clearinghouse, certifying voting equipment, and administering the national voter registration forum—remain essential for the November elections.

"We want to ensure the agency can still function well and get the things done for the American people for November," Hicks said.

He indicated that the EAC could operate without commissioners through the upcoming election but expressed uncertainty about its longer-term capacity. Hicks also mentioned that the agency received less than $50 million for the current cycle, a sharp decline from the $400 million allocated during the COVID-19 emergency, and urged the administration to restore adequate funding.

When asked about the Supreme Court ruling that expanded presidential authority to remove leaders of independent agencies, Hicks said he was considering his options but had not decided whether to contest the termination.

Hicks declined to speculate on the president’s broader objectives, noting only that he hopes voters will continue to cast ballots and serve as poll workers. He also highlighted a planned partnership with the Vet the Vote program to recruit veterans as poll workers, which will not proceed without his involvement.

The former chair said the EAC has previously operated without commissioners, though performance suffered, and that Congress had considered eliminating the agency. He expressed confidence in the remaining staff to maintain the agency’s role in election administration.

"I have full faith and confidence in the staff to do the right thing and ensure Americans can still count on the EAC for election administration," Hicks said.

Hicks, who was a few months from retirement, said his removal was unrelated to his pending eligibility for retirement and reiterated that the issue concerns the agency’s ability to serve the American public.