A Democratic National Committee panel has determined that a gun control activist, David Hogg, who vowed to spend $20 million to oust “ineffective, asleep at the wheel” Democrats, was improperly elected as a party official earlier this year. 

The Credentials Committee, by a 13-to-2 vote with three abstentions, decided to void the February elections of Mr. Hogg and a Pennsylvania state representative, Malcolm Kenyatta, as vice chairmen. The resolution now goes to a full vote of DNC members. If passed, the two vice chairmen are out and a new election will be held.

The move came in response to a complaint filed by an Oklahoma activist, Kalyn Free, who lost her bid for a vice chairman position in the February 1 elections. Ms. Free, who says she is Native American, alleged that the election violated the DNC’s rules on gender diversity. 

Mr. Hogg, known for co-founding the March for Our Lives movement and his advocacy for gun reform following the 2018 Parkland, Florida, school shooting, expressed disappointment in a statement issued following the ruling. 

“While this vote was based on how the DNC conducted its officers’ elections, which I had nothing to do with, it is also impossible to ignore the broader context of my work to reform the party which loomed large over this vote,” Mr. Hogg said.  

The 25-year-old suggested that his efforts to challenge the Democratic Party’s traditional structures may have influenced the decision. “I ran to be DNC Vice Chair to help make the Democratic Party better, not to defend an indefensible status quo that has caused voters in almost every demographic group to move away from us,” he said.

Mr. Hogg recently launched an organization, Leaders We Deserve, to support primary challengers against what he describes as “out-of-touch, ineffective” House Democrats in safe seats. Some party insiders have interpreted the new ruling as an implicit rebuke of this strategy.  

“The DNC has pledged to remove me, and this vote has provided an avenue to fast-track that effort,” Mr. Hogg added.  

Mr. Hogg wasn’t the only one miffed by the move. A pro-Trump operative and influencer, Alex Bruesewitz, put out a statement ripping the vote as a “coup.”

“David Hogg’s activism has significantly bolstered support for President Trump, inspiring countless Americans to align with the MAGA movement,” he wrote on X. “His influence as a skilled operative has been invaluable.”

“We strongly oppose the DNC’s efforts to remove him from his fairly earned position as Vice Chair. This action undermines democratic principles, and we demand the DNC HALT this unjust maneuver immediately. Protecting democracy begins with standing firmly with David Hogg in his rightful role. STOP THE COUP!” Mr. Bruesewitz wrote.

The DNC chairman, Ken Martin, said there were simply procedural issues underpinning the decision. “I am disappointed to learn that before I became chair, there was a procedural error in the February vice chair elections,” he said. Mr. Martin expressed confidence that DNC members would “carefully review the committee’s resolution and resolve this matter fairly.” 

Mr. Hogg’s activism and outspoken criticism of both Republicans and Democratic Party elites have earned him an array of supporters and detractors. A party elder and former Clinton strategist, James Carville, recently called Mr. Hogg “a contemptible little twerp” during a television interview, though the Ragin’ Cajun later attempted to walk back the comment.  

Party leaders have also taken other steps to mute Mr. Hogg’s power. Last month, the DNC moved to adopt a significant rule change that would require party officers to remain neutral during primary elections — a move aimed squarely at Mr. Hogg.

“No DNC officer should ever attempt to influence the outcome of a primary election whether on behalf of an incumbent or a challenger,” Mr. Martin said during a conference call with party officials.

The party chairman emphasized that the proposed change would strengthen trust between Democratic voters and the party. “This is not about shielding incumbents or boosting challengers. Voters should decide who primary nominees are,” the DNC chairman said.

The internal discord comes at a challenging time for Democrats. A recent series of polls highlights growing disillusionment with party leadership. A Gallup survey conducted in April found that 39 percent of Democrats expressed significant confidence in their party leaders’ ability to manage the economy, compared to 76 percent of Republicans who voiced confidence in their leaders.