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All Commissioners

Headshot of Sean J. Cooksey
Chairman
Republican
Headshot of Ellen L. Weintraub
Vice Chair
Democrat
Headshot of Allen Dickerson
Republican
Headshot of Dara Lindenbaum
Democrat
Headshot of Steven T. Walther
Independent
January 2006 to July 2022
Headshot of Caroline C. Hunter
Republican
July 2008 to July 2020
Headshot of Matthew S. Petersen
Republican
June 2008 to August 2019
Headshot of Lee E. Goodman
Republican
October 2013 to February 2018
Headshot of Ann M. Ravel
Democrat
October 2013 to March 2017
Placeholder no photo of Donald F. McGahn
Republican
July 2008 to September 2013
Headshot of Cynthia L. Bauerly
Democrat
June 2008 to February 2013
Headshot of David M. Mason
Republican
July 1998 to July 2008
(Reappointed January 2006)
Headshot of Robert D. Lenhard
Democrat
January 2006 to December 2007
Headshot of Hans A. von Spakovsky
Republican
January 2006 to December 2007
Headshot of Michael E. Toner
Republican
March 2002 to March 2007
Headshot of Danny L. McDonald
Democrat
December 1981 to December 2006
(Reappointed July 1987, July 1994 and July 2000)
Headshot of Scott E. Thomas
Democrat
October 1986 to January 2006
(Reappointed November 1991 and July 1998)
Headshot of Bradley A. Smith
Republican
June 2000 to April 2005
Headshot of Karl J. Sandstrom
Democrat
July 1998 to December 2002
Headshot of Darryl R. Wold
Republican
July 1998 to April 2002
Headshot of Lee A. Elliott
Republican
December 1981 to June 2000
(Reappointed July 1987 and July 1994)
Headshot of Joan D. Aikens
Republican
April 1975 to September 1998
(Reappointed May 1976, December 1981, August 1983 and October 1989)
Headshot of John W. McGarry
Democrat
October 1978 to August 1998
(Reappointed July 1983 and October 1989)
Headshot of Trevor Potter
Republican
November 1991 to October 1995
Headshot of Thomas J. Josefiak
Republican
August 1981 to December 1991
Headshot of Thomas E. Harris
Democrat
April 1975 to October 1986
(Reappointed May 1976 and June 1979)
Headshot of Frank P. Reiche
Republican
July 1979 to August 1985
Headshot of Robert O. Tiernan
Democrat
April 1975 to December 1981
(Reappointed May 1976)
Headshot of Max L. Friedersdorf
Republican
March 1979 to December 1980
Headshot of Vernon W. Thomson
Republican
April 1975 to June 1979
(Reappointed May 1976) January 1981 - December 1981)
Headshot of William L. Springer
Republican
May 1976 to February 1979
Headshot of Neil O. Staebler
Democrat
April 1975 to October 1978
(Reappointed May 1976)
Headshot of Thomas B. Curtis
Republican
April 1975 to May 1976

Ex officio Commissioners

From 1975 through 1993, the Secretary of the Senate and the Clerk of the House were designated as nonvoting, ex officio Commissioners. In 1993, an appeals court ruled that the presence of nonvoting Congressionally appointed ex officio members on the Commission violated the Constitution’s separation of powers. The Supreme Court dismissed the Commission’s appeal for lack of jurisdiction (FEC v. NRA Political Victory Fund). Subsequent to the appeals court decision, the Commission reconstituted itself as a six-member body.

Clerk of the House

Donnald K. Anderson
January 1987 to October 1993
Benjamin U. Guthrie
January 1983 to January 1987
Edmund L. Henshaw, Jr.
December 1975 to January 1983
W. Pat Jennings
April 1975 to November 1975

Secretary of the Senate

Walter J. Stewart
January 1987 to October 1993
Jo-Anne L. Coe
January 1985 to January 1987
William F. Hildenbrand
January 1981 to January 1985
Joseph Stanley Kimmitt
April 1977 to January 1981
Francis R. Valeo
April 1975 to March 1977