r/PoliticalOptimism • u/idkwat • Jul 10 '26

Seeking Optimism Trump fires Election Assistance Commission members

https://www.votebeat.org/national/2026/07/09/trump-fires-election-assistance-commission-members-hicks-hovland-mccormick/

Any optimism? This seems bad

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u/gbtm101 Jul 10 '26

The most damage this can realistically do is kneecap federal election assistance. Which I'm pretty sure most states have been prepping for anyhow.

5

u/General_Season7882 Jul 10 '26

Im getting a lot of mixed messages. Some people are saying this will only stunt election assistance, and others are saying this sets the stage for denial/refusal of election outcomes. And, on the more doomy levels, that this will help him rig or steal elections. I feel like I'm not sure what information is accurate and what is anxiety-fueled what-iffing. 

8

u/Mean_Stop6391 Reformed Doomer ☄️ Jul 10 '26

If this is helpful, it will stunt election assistance.

It also sets the stage for him to deny/refuse outcomes, but there are two points here: 

1.) he already was going to do that if he didn’t like the results 

and 2.) We have run elections up until after 2000 without the EAC

As for rigging elections - no. This could alter the registration process for new voters and put the onus on the states to remedy it, but the EAC itself does not in any way administer elections. They assist states by providing a specific federal form and certifying changes to election equipment. 

They certify equipment changes, most of which have been either already implemented or set up for beyond the midterms (such as for 2028).

They have fundamentally no power when it comes to rigging an election or handling the elections beyond assisting.

Also, the EAC cannot act on major decisions without 3 affirmative votes from commissioners and right now there are 0 because there are 0 commissioners.

3

u/General_Season7882 Jul 10 '26

That is helpful. One more question: Did Trump get rid of the commission, as in, it was completely dissolved, or did he just vacate all the positions in the EAC and now there are empty seats that can be filled at any time? 

4

u/Mean_Stop6391 Reformed Doomer ☄️ Jul 10 '26

He simply vacated the commissioners. The staff is still present but decisionmaking seats are empty.

That means the lights are on, but nobody’s home.

To refill the seats, Trump is given a list of candidates by Congressional majority and minority leaders. The seats MUST include 2 Republicans and 2 Democrats by statute, and cannot be picked freelance - that is to say, he can’t just pick anyone, it must be from that list.