California, Oregon Senators Demand Federal Election Official Retract False Voting Claims or Step Down

U.S. Senators Demand Resignation of Election Official Over False Claims About Illegal Voting

Four U.S. senators have issued a stern ultimatum to Election Assistance Commission (EAC) member Christy McCormick, demanding she either rescind false claims about illegal voting or resign from her position immediately.

Democratic Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley of Oregon, along with Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff of California, sent a forceful letter to McCormick in response to comments she made during an October 29 panel at a think tank closely aligned with former President Donald Trump.

During the event, McCormick claimed that Democrats needed “open borders, they need illegal citizens to increase their votes.” She also admitted to considering casting ballots that were addressed to other people but had arrived at her California home – essentially contemplating voter fraud herself.

“This is deeply dangerous to voters, our election system, and more broadly to our democracy,” the senators wrote. “EAC commissioners carry an extra level of responsibility when speaking about election administration, and if you stand by your public statements about widespread voter fraud without any evidence, we urge you to resign immediately.”

The Election Assistance Commission, established in 2002 following the contentious 2000 presidential election, serves as an independent federal agency with significant influence over U.S. election systems. The commission consists of four bipartisan members who are appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate. All current commissioners, including McCormick, received unanimous confirmation.

While states maintain primary responsibility for administering elections, the EAC plays a crucial role in developing voting system guidelines, testing and certifying voting equipment, and providing guidance to election officials nationwide on various aspects of election administration.

McCormick’s comments come at a particularly sensitive time in American politics, with election integrity remaining a divisive issue. Since 2016, claims of widespread voter fraud have persisted among supporters of former President Trump, despite extensive research and court rulings finding such allegations to be largely baseless.

The senators’ demand follows an earlier call for McCormick’s resignation from Oregon Secretary of State Tobias Read, who stated it was “un-American to spread lies that sow fear and paranoia in the heart of our democracy.” Read issued his statement during the recent federal government shutdown, when many agency spokespeople were furloughed without access to their work email accounts.

Election experts consistently emphasize that voting by non-citizens or otherwise ineligible individuals is extremely rare in the United States. In Oregon, for example, state officials recently identified approximately 1,800 people who were registered to vote in error after interactions with the state’s Driver and Motor Vehicle Services Division where they did not show proof of citizenship.

However, only 39 of those individuals actually voted in recent elections, according to state officials. Oregon has opted not to pursue criminal investigations in these cases since the registrations resulted from clerical errors rather than deliberate fraud. Officials also noted that none of these ballots could have altered any election outcomes, and it remains unclear how many of the 39 voters may have actually been citizens when they cast their ballots.

The EAC did not immediately respond to inquiries regarding the senators’ letter or McCormick’s status. The controversy highlights ongoing tensions surrounding election administration in the United States, particularly as the country approaches another presidential election cycle where election security and integrity will undoubtedly remain contentious issues.