- Oct 17, 2011
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U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday terminated the last three members of the Election Assistance Commission, the independent, federal commission that assists election administration officials nationwide, the White House confirmed.
The terminations follow the recent Supreme Court decision that granted the president more power to fire members of independent agencies, and a push by Trump for more federal intervention in voting processes, traditionally the purview of the states, as midterm elections approach in November.
"The President, and head of the Executive Branch, reserves the right to remove individuals that may not be totally aligned with the important task of securing America's elections and ensuring every legal vote is counted," a White House official said in a statement, citing the Supreme Court decision as precedent.
The Election Assistance Commission serves as a "national clearinghouse of information on election administration," accredits testing laboratories and certifies voting systems, and maintains the national mail voter registration form developed by the National Voter Registration Act of 1993, according to the commission's website.
COMMISSION'S FUTURE UNCLEAR
The election commission was established by Congress in 2002 through the Help America Vote Act. The four commissioners are appointed by the president, are required to be evenly split with two Democrats and two Republicans, and ultimately need to be confirmed by the U.S. Senate. [All of those fired were unanimously confirmed by the Senate]
Senator Mark Warner, a Virginia Democrat, said in a Thursday social media post the terminations should "concern every American, regardless of party."
The terminations follow the recent Supreme Court decision that granted the president more power to fire members of independent agencies, and a push by Trump for more federal intervention in voting processes, traditionally the purview of the states, as midterm elections approach in November.
"The President, and head of the Executive Branch, reserves the right to remove individuals that may not be totally aligned with the important task of securing America's elections and ensuring every legal vote is counted," a White House official said in a statement, citing the Supreme Court decision as precedent.
The Election Assistance Commission serves as a "national clearinghouse of information on election administration," accredits testing laboratories and certifies voting systems, and maintains the national mail voter registration form developed by the National Voter Registration Act of 1993, according to the commission's website.
COMMISSION'S FUTURE UNCLEAR
The election commission was established by Congress in 2002 through the Help America Vote Act. The four commissioners are appointed by the president, are required to be evenly split with two Democrats and two Republicans, and ultimately need to be confirmed by the U.S. Senate. [All of those fired were unanimously confirmed by the Senate]
Senator Mark Warner, a Virginia Democrat, said in a Thursday social media post the terminations should "concern every American, regardless of party."
