The White House announced its nomination of Myrna Perez to the troubled Election Assistance Commission (EAC).  Instead of nominating election officials or election administrators with the experience to actually “assist” election jurisdictions, the President continues to politicize the agency.  One must ask why election administrators and officals should support the EAC when the President nominates individuals who have never administered an election or even turned on a voting machine.  Instead, she has accused election officials of being unfair and systematically disenfranchising their voters.

This nomination is just one more reason why the National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS) has a point when they have repeatedly resolved to eliminate the EAC because of the their real and perceived interference with state and local elections by regulation.  Does the President and U.S. Senate really believe state and local officials will accept the “election assistance” this new nominee will be offering as she berates election officals on felon disenfranchisment laws and works behind the scenes to impose a federal mandate to permit felon voting.       

In related news, the House Subcommittee on Elections yesterday had much to scrutinize in their oversight hearing.  After its conclusion, its Chairman Gregg Harper voiced his deep disappointment in the agency’s “bloated budget, every growing staff, shrinking responsibilities, discriminatory hiring practices…”   No doubt this nomination will add to its woes.