WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Commissioner Thomas Hicks began his year-long term as Chairman of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC). Commissioner Christy McCormick will serve as Vice Chair. They continue to serve alongside EAC Commissioners Ben Hovland and Donald Palmer.
“The work of the EAC is more important than ever as elections and the officials who are on the ground serving voters are under increased scrutiny. As we begin the midterm elections, I look forward to representing the agency in this role and continuing the excellent work of the EAC," stated Chairman Hicks. “Throughout this year, my fellow Commissioners and I will continue to meet with election officials across the country to not only share information on how the EAC can assist their efforts but also gain valuable insight that informs the work of the agency. I hope to continue the agency's efforts to strengthen the security of voting systems and election technology, improve accessibility for voters with disabilities, and expand the agency’s training program for election officials."
Chairman Hicks identified the following areas he would like to build on as priorities for the agency in the coming year:
- Increasing the reach of the EAC’s in-person and online training programs. The Learning Lab platform offers 32 training courses, with over 1,000 election officials participating. The EAC also offered in-person training to over 3,000 election officials in FY 2025. The impact of this no-cost service for election administration and the voters they serve is invaluable.
- Continuing discussions and progress on the EAC’s evaluation programs for electronic poll books, electronic ballot delivery systems, voter registration systems, and election night reporting systems.
- Expanding existing resources and research to help all eligible Americans cast their ballots and have them counted accurately, especially working with election officials to better serve voters with disabilities under HAVA.
- Continuing to work on the implementation of the Voluntary Voting System Guidelines (VVSG) 2.0 for the most up-to-date voting systems.
- Working with state and local election officials to gather their input to better serve the American people.
Chairman Hicks assumes this role in place of outgoing Chairman Donald Palmer, whose term spanned February 2025 through February 2026.
“During my term as Chair, the Commission made considerable progress in implementing more robust systems for the next generation of voting technology. We certified the first two voting systems to the highest standards, Voluntary Voting System Guidelines (VVSG) 2.0. This enhances the cybersecurity and auditability of voting systems nationwide. The EAC also laid the groundwork for enhanced penetration testing of election systems to strengthen the security of the nation’s elections,” said outgoing Chairman Palmer. “Another major agency milestone was the certification of our first electronic poll book system and the expansion of the Election Supporting Technology Evaluation Program to include evaluation of electronic ballot delivery, election night reporting, and voter registration systems. These initiatives will help states improve the accuracy and security of voter registration and foster national standards similar to the VVSG. It is an honor to serve on the Commission, and I look forward to continuing to assist election officials and improve the voter experience.”
About Chairman Thomas Hicks
Thomas Hicks has served on the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) since January 2015 when he was unanimously confirmed by the United States Senate. Mr. Hicks currently serves as the Designated Federal Officer (DFO) of the Technical Guidelines Development Committee.
Mr. Hicks has focused his efforts on voter access. Under his leadership, the EAC developed a pocket-sized voter card that serves as a guide on voting rights for voters with disabilities. The card is provided in both Braille and large print. The EAC has worked with advocacy groups and election officials to distribute the card.
Mr. Hicks continues to stress the need for more young people to become involved as poll workers and in the voting process, and he was featured in a New York Times publication with a profile highlighting his efforts. Mr. Hicks is a frequent speaker at conferences in the United States and overseas.
Prior to his appointment to the EAC, Mr. Hicks served in senior roles on the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on House Administration. Mr. Hicks was responsible for issues relating to campaign finance, election reform, contested elections, and oversight of both the EAC and the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
Mr. Hicks received his J.D. from the Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law, and his B.A. in Government from Clark University (Worcester, MA). He also studied at the University of London (London, England) and the University of Adelaide (Adelaide, Australia).