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Tag: voting records

  • Fulton County seeks return of 2020 election materials after FBI raid

    Fulton County seeks return of 2020 election materials after FBI raid

    Fulton County seeks return of 2020 election materials after FBI raid

    Fulton County filed a motion in federal court Wednesday after an FBI raid at the county’s election hub removed hundreds of boxes of ballots, images and voter records tied to the 2020 election.

    County Commission Chairman Robert Pitts said the motion, filed on behalf of himself and the Fulton County Board of Registration and Elections, seeks the immediate return of all seized election materials and greater transparency around why they were taken. He said county leaders and outside legal experts warn the case could have consequences beyond Fulton County.

    “This case is not only about Fulton County, it’s about elections across Georgia and across the nation,” Pitts said.

    The county is also asking a judge to unseal the affidavit used to obtain the FBI search warrant.

    Since 2020, Pitts said, Fulton County has conducted 17 successful elections without issues, but questions remain about where the seized materials are now and how they’re being handled. Those concerns are shared by election security experts who say ballot handling is critical to election integrity.

    Mark Lindeman, policy and strategy director for Verified Voting, observed Georgia’s 2020 verification process in four counties and provided technical support during the state’s large-scale audits. Lindeman said what troubles him most about the FBI raid is that chain-of-custody rules required under Georgia law weren’t followed.

    “Every time ballots move from one location to another, all of that is documented,” he said.

    Lindeman noted Georgia’s 2020 results were verified through the original count, a full hand-count audit and a recount by rescanning ballots. County officials say they still do not know where the seized materials are or what is being done with them.

  • Fulton County moves to reclaim 2020 election records seized by FBI

    Fulton County moves to reclaim 2020 election records seized by FBI

    Fulton County moves to reclaim 2020 election records seized by FBI

    Fulton County officials moved Wednesday to regain control of thousands of 2020 election records seized by federal agents last week, filing an emergency motion in federal court as leaders warned the investigation could have wide-ranging implications for elections nationwide.

    County Commission Chairman Robb Pitts said during a Wednesday morning news conference at the Fulton County Government Center that the county has formally asked a federal judge to order the return of materials taken during an FBI search of the county’s elections headquarters in Union City.

    “This is a serious case,” Pitts said. “Our Constitution is at stake in this fight. The Constitution is the law of the land. It is not a suggestion.”

    The motion, filed shortly before 9 a.m. under Rule 41(g) of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, seeks the return of original ballots and related election records. It also asks the court to prevent federal authorities from reviewing or using the materials while the case is pending and to place the matter on an expedited schedule.

    The filing remains under seal, and Pitts said he could not discuss its contents, but confirmed the county is also requesting that the affidavit used to justify the search warrant be unsealed.

    Federal agents seized approximately 656 boxes of election materials, including ballots, tabulator tapes, electronic ballot images and voter rolls, according to county officials. Pitts said the county was given no advance notice of the search and was not provided copies of the records taken.

    “They showed up and took the boxes they wanted,” Pitts said. “We don’t even have copies of what they took.”

    County leaders emphasized the seizure does not reflect wrongdoing by election officials, noting that Fulton County’s 2020 results have been reviewed and recounted multiple times without any change. Commissioner Marvin Arrington said the emergency filing was necessary to move quickly, warning that delays risk undermining public trust in the election process.

  • FBI searches Fulton County elections hub for records tied to 2020 election

    FBI searches Fulton County elections hub for records tied to 2020 election

    FBI searches Fulton County elections hub for records tied to 2020 election

    Federal agents executed a court-authorized search Tuesday at the Fulton County Elections Hub & Operations Center. The elections hub opened in 2023 and serves as a central storage site for voting equipment, records,and county office spaces.

    The Federal Bureau of Investigation confirmed agents were carrying out a lawful enforcement action at the facility on Campbellton Fairburn Road in Union City. Agents wearing tactical vests were seen entering and exiting the building throughout the day. The FBI declined to provide details, saying only that the investigation is ongoing. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation said it is not involved.

    County officials and local lawmakers criticized the search during a press conference later in the day. Fulton County Councilwoman Mo Ivory called the action a “scare tactic” and an “assault on voters.” Councilman Marvin S. Arrington said a judge had previously ordered the ballots sealed and that earlier efforts to unseal them through civil litigation had failed. He said the FBI is now using a criminal search warrant to access the records.

    Arrington called the raid a “full-frontal attack on democracy” and “retribution” by President Trump.

    State Rep. Saira Draper said multiple audits and independent reviews have found no evidence of voter fraud in Fulton County’s handling of the 2020 election.

    “Fulton County is being targeted because it is the largest county in Georgia and it is the home of Atlanta,” Draper said. “So, this doesn’t pass the smell test.”

    The search comes amid continued national scrutiny of Georgia’s 2020 election results. Donald Trump has repeatedly challenged the outcome in Georgia, a state he narrowly lost. Federal litigation over access to Fulton County election records remains ongoing.

    U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff criticized the search in a statement.

    “After losing Georgia in 2020, Donald Trump demanded state officials ‘find’ votes to change the outcome, tried to use DOJ to overturn it, and spread conspiracy theories that led to the Jan. 6 sacking of the U.S. Capitol,” Ossoff said. “I suspect today’s raid is a continuation of this sore loser’s crusade, despite repeated audits and independent reviews confirming that Donald Trump was indeed defeated.”

    Fulton County officials said they are consulting with legal counsel to determine their next steps as the investigation continues.