WASHINGTON, DC — The League of Women Voters issued the following statement from CEO Celina Stewart in response to President Trump's removal of the serving commissioners of the bipartisan US Election Assistance Commission (EAC):
"Removing the commissioners of the Election Assistance Commission is a direct attack on the independence of our nation's election infrastructure. This extraordinary action strips the EAC of its bipartisan leadership at a moment when election officials need support, stability, and protection from political pressure.
“The American people deserve elections administered by trusted professionals, not shaped by political interference. This is not a routine personnel decision — it is a dangerous escalation in the effort to weaken the safeguards that protect free and fair elections in the November midterms.
“Congress established the EAC on a bipartisan basis in the wake of the contested 2000 presidential election. The Help America Vote Act of 2002 created a politically balanced structure designed to remain independent of any administration’s political interest. Under presidents of both parties, the EAC has required bipartisan agreement to make policy, with the goal of strengthening our elections, supporting the officials who administer them, and helping ensure every eligible voter can cast a ballot with confidence and know that ballot will be counted.
“Federal elections are conducted at the state and local level, and the EAC does not count votes or run elections. But the EAC plays a vital role in supporting the professionals who do. It helps election officials prepare for secure and accessible elections, provides guidance and resources, and strengthens the systems voters rely on. Undermining its bipartisan leadership threatens the stability and public trust our election system depends on.
“This latest action is part of a broader pattern of efforts to weaken the institutions that safeguard our democracy. From restricting access to the ballot to dismantling the independent systems that support free and fair elections, the Trump administration has repeatedly put politics ahead of the American people's right to vote.
“Free and fair elections depend on independent, nonpartisan election administration. Election officials deserve the resources and independence to serve voters without political interference. We thank the EAC Commissioners for their public service and recognize the significant contributions they have made on behalf of election officials and voters across the country.
“The League of Women Voters will continue to stand with the election officials who protect our democracy and will oppose any effort to undermine the integrity, independence, and public trust that free and fair elections require. Voters can learn more about how to support election officials in their communities at electionheroday.org.”
###