The Democratic commissioners — Thomas Hicks and Benjamin W. Hovland — were fired by email, two people familiar with their terminations said.
“They will be replaced,” said a White House official who confirmed that all three commissioners are gone.
White House aide Morgan DeWitt Snow sent the Democratic commissioners a brief email of termination around 4 p.m.
“On behalf of President Donald J. Trump, I’m writing to inform you that your position as Commissioner of the Election Assistance Commission is terminated effective immediately.
Hovland, one of the Democratic commissioners, told NBC News he was returning from a work trip to a Missouri election office when he was fired.
Taking away a key federal agency designed to help state and local election administrators will have a negative impact, Hovland said.
Still, Weil said, the commissioners are needed to adapt to changes, set new policies and coordinate with local election officials. »