The Election Assistance Commission (EAC) is an independent agency of the United States government created by the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA). The Commission serves as a national clearinghouse and resource of information regarding election administration. It is charged with administering payments to states and developing guidance to meet HAVA requirements, adopting voluntary voting system guidelines, and accrediting voting system test laboratories and certifying voting equipment. It is also charged with developing and maintaining a national mail voter registration form.
Responsibilities The EAC is tasked with performing a number of election-related duties including:EAC Divisions , see HAVA Sections 202, 205–209, 221–222, 231, 241–247, 801–804, and 902 and at NVRA Section 9 creating and maintaining the Voluntary Voting System Guidelines creating a national program for the testing, certification, and decertification of voting systems maintaining the National Mail Voter Registration Form required by the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (NVRA) reporting to Congress every two years on the effects of the NVRA on elections administering federal funds to States for HAVA requirements administering federal funds for the development of innovative election technology, including pilot programs to test election technology studying and reporting best practices of effective administration communicating information on laws, technologies, procedures, studies, and data related to the administration of federal elections to those responsible for formulating or implementing election law and procedures, to the media, and to other interested persons
The HAVA requires the EAC will create voluntary guidelines for voting systems, maintaining a clearinghouse of information regarding election administration procedures including testing and certification of election equipment, and administering the Election Assistance and Help America Vote Programs.
The EAC publishes the Election Administration and Voting Survey, a study examining how states administer federal elections, every two years.
History In 2003, Congress appropriated US$1.5 billion for HAVA. The General Services Administration distributed most of the $650 million permitted under Title I of HAVA, and the remainder was earmarked for the EAC to disburse. The funds were not distributed because the commissioners were not confirmed until December 9, 2003; the law had required that they be in place by February 26, 2003. The initial Commissioners were: DeForest Soaries Jr. (2003–2005) Ray Martinez, III (2003–2006) Paul S. DeGregorio (2003–2007) Gracia Hillman (2003–2010)
In its 2004 budget, Congress again allocated $1.5 billion to fund HAVA. By January 2004, the EAC did not have permanent offices or budget, even though it was required to publish state election reform plans in the Federal Register before money for new voting equipment could be disbursed to the states.
On December 6, 2006 Caroline Hunter and Rosemary E. Rodriguez were nominated by President George W. Bush to replace Ray Martinez and Paul DeGregorio.Nominations and Withdrawals Sent to the Senate, Office of the Press Secretary, White House, (December 2006) They were confirmed by the U.S. Senate on February 15, 2007.
In 2010, the EAC lost its quorum of Commissioners, after the resignation or end of term of Hunter (2008), Rodriguez (2009) and Hillman (2010), preventing many normal operational duties; and was without any Commissioners by 2011 after the resignation of Davidson. Bills were subsequently drafted to end the Commission. Specifically, U.S. Representative Gregg Harper introduced a bill to wind up the EAC and transfer some of its functions to the Federal Election Commission.
The EAC did not regain a quorum until December 16, 2014, when the U.S. Senate confirmed three Commissioners, Thomas Hicks, Matthew V. Masterson, and Christy McCormick. Masterson resigned in 2018; and on January 2, 2019, President Donald Trump's nominees, Benjamin Hovland and Donald Palmer, were confirmed by the US Senate, and took office in February 2019. In July 2026, President Donald Trump removed the remaining members of the commission several months before the midterm elections. The two Democratic commissioners, Thomas Hicks and Benjamin Hovland, were dismissed by the White House, while Republican commissioner Christy McCormick resigned. The White House said that Trump had the authority to remove members of independent federal agencies and cited a recent Supreme Court decision as the basis for the action. Democrats and voting rights advocates criticized the removals, saying they weakened an independent agency that supports election officials, certifies voting systems, and provides guidance on election administration.
Chair and commissioners The Help America Vote Act specifies that four commissioners are nominated by the President on recommendations from the majority and minority leadership in the U.S. House and U.S. Senate. Once confirmed by the full Senate, commissioners may serve two consecutive terms and no more than two commissioners may belong to the same political party. The terms lasts for four years, but commissioners may continue serving after the expiration of their term until their successor has taken office. The Commission selects a chair and vice chair from among its members for a term of one year. The chair and vice chair may not be affiliated with the same political party. A member of the Commission can only serve one term as chair and vice chair each during each of their terms as members.
Current commissioners , there are no commissioners.
In July 2026, with one empty seat, two of the three sitting commissioners were dismissed by the president and the remaining commissioner resigned, leaving the commission without a member.Barrow, Bill, Donald Trump ousts election commission members in latest push to reshape US voting process, Associated Press, July 10, 2026
Former commissioners Former commissioners include: DeForest Soaries Jr. (2003–2005) Ray Martinez, III (2003–2006) Paul S. DeGregorio (2003–2007) Caroline Hunter (2007–2008) Rosemary E. Rodriguez (2007–2009) Gracia Hillman (2003–2010) Donetta Davidson (2005–2011) Gineen Bresso (2008–2011) Matthew Masterson (2014–2018) Donald L. Palmer (2019–2026) Thomas Hicks (2015–2026, dismissed) Christy McCormick (2015–2026) Benjamin W. Hovland (2019–2026, dismissed)
Officers and staff
Executive Director The current Executive Director of the EAC is Steven Frid, who succeeded Interim Executive Director, Mark A. Robbins. Prior to him, Mona Harrington served as Executive Director. She succeeded Brian Newby, who served a four-year term from October 2015 to October 2019. Newby succeeded Thomas R. Wilkey, the agency's first Executive Director, who resigned in November 2011. Prior to the EAC, Wilkey served a four-year term as the executive director of the New York State Board of Elections beginning in 2003. He worked 34 years in the field of election administration. The executive director position was created by HAVA § 204(a).
General Counsel The current Acting General Counsel is Amanda Joiner. Prior to her, the General Counsel was Kevin Rayburn. The previous General Counsel was Clifford Tatum, who served a four-year term (October 2015 to October 2019). The agency's first General Counsel, serving under the Executive Director, was Juliet E. Thompson.EAC taps Juliet Thompson for General Counsel Position , August 26, 2004 She previously held the position of Associate General Counsel at the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America, and General Counsel of the Louisiana Department of Elections and Registration.
Inspector General The current Inspector General is Sarah Dreyer. The Office of the Inspector General is tasked with detecting and preventing fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement of EAC programs, regularly performing audits and evaluations.
Brianna Schletz previously served as the Inspector General.
Standards Board The EAC Standards Board was established under title II section 211 of HAVA. Its duties include reviewing the voluntary voting systems guidelines and review of the best practices recommendations. The Board consists of 110 members, 55 State election officials and 55 local election officials. The Board adopts resolutions and makes recommendations by simple majority vote.(see a full list of Standards Board members)
The Board selects nine of its members as an Executive Board of whom, no more than five may be State election officials; no more than five may be local election officials; and no more than five may be members of the same political party. (see a full list of Executive Board members)
Board of Advisors The EAC Board of Advisors was established under title II section 211 of HAVA. Like those of the Standards Board, the Board of Advisors' duties include reviewing the voluntary voting systems guidelines and review of the best practices recommendations. The Board consists of appointed members. Two members being appointed by each of the National Governors Association, the National Conference of State Legislatures, the National Association of Secretaries of State, the National Association of State Election Directors, the National Association of Counties, the National Association of County Recorders, Election Officials, and Clerks (NACRC), the United States Conference of Mayors, the Election Center, the International Association of County Recorders, Election Officials, and Treasurers (IACREOT), the United States Commission on Civil Rights, and the Architectural and Transportation Barrier Compliance Board. The Board also includes the chief of the Office of Public Integrity of the Department of Justice, the Chief of the Voting Section of the Civil Rights Division at the U.S. Department of Justice, and the director of the Federal Voting Assistance Program of the Department of Defense. Further, the Board also includes four members representing professionals in the field of science and technology, one appointed by the Speaker and one by the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, one appointed by the Majority Leader and one by the Minority Leader of the Senate. Of the eight final members of the Board, four members are appointed by the United States House Committee on House Administration and four members are appointed by the United States Senate Committee on Rules and Administration. (see a full list of Advisory Board members)
Technical Guidelines Development Committee The Technical Guidelines Development Committee (TGDC) is tasked with assisting the EAC in drafting the Voluntary Voting System Guidelines. The Committee membership consists of the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST); 14 members appointed jointly by the EAC and the Director of NIST from the Standards Board, the Board of Advisors, the Architectural and Transportation Barrier, and the Access Board, a representative of American National Standards Institute (ANSI), a representative of the IEEE, two representatives of the NASED, and other individuals with technical and scientific expertise relating to voting systems and voting equipment. (see a full list of TGDC members)
Criticisms