Trump Officials Explored Emergency Powers to Bypass Election Agency Before Firings

The White House spent months looking for ways to work around a federal election agency and use emergency powers to force changes to voting machines before President Donald Trump removed its leaders this past Thursday, according to four people familiar with the matter. Some officials reportedly grew frustrated with the Election Assistance Commission’s pace in updating voting machine guidelines for states.

As early as last fall, White House officials reviewed a recommendation from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence to declare a national emergency and create a federal task force that could push states to fix voting system vulnerabilities without going through the commission. That report was never published and the plan was never carried out, but complaints about the agency continued.

Firings Leave Commission Without a Quorum

Trump dismissed the agency’s two Democratic commissioners and let its lone Republican resign, following a fourth commissioner’s departure back in April. Without a quorum, the commission can’t take up new business like changing voting procedures. The White House pointed to a June Supreme Court ruling that expanded presidential power to remove members of independent agencies.

Democrats Push Back

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called the move a brazen attempt to seize control of elections ahead of the midterms. Election experts note the agency’s slow pace reflects the complexity of voting system policy, not dysfunction.