Image
Thomas Hicks was nominated by President Barack H. Obama and confirmed by unanimous consent of the United States Senate on December 16, 2014, to serve on the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC). Mr. Hicks currently serves as the Designated Federal Officer (DFO) of the Board of Advisors.
Commissioner 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, as 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 U.S. and overseas on issues such as voter access, cybersecurity, and election official safety.
Prior to his appointment with the EAC, Commissioner Hicks served as a senior elections counsel and minority elections counsel on the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on House Administration. In this role, 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). His primary responsibility was advising and providing guidance to the committee members and caucusing on election issues. Mr. Hicks has talked with Americans in every state about their voting experiences. In addition, he has worked with state and local election officials across America to address critical election concerns.
Prior to joining the U.S. House of Representatives, Mr. Hicks served as a senior lobbyist and policy analyst for Common Cause, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that empowers citizens to make their voices heard in the political process and to hold their elected leaders accountable to the public interest. Mr. Hicks enjoys working with state and local election officials, civil rights organizations, and all other stakeholders to improve the voting process.
Mr. Hicks served in the Clinton administration as a special assistant and legislative assistant in the Office of Congressional Relations for the Office of Personnel Management. He served as agency liaison to the U.S. Congress and the president’s administration on matters regarding federal personnel policies and regulations.
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).