FBI Searches Fulton County Election Office, Seizes 2020 Ballots in High-Profile Investigation
ATLANTA — The FBI executed a court-authorized search warrant at the Fulton County Election Hub and Operations Center on Jan. 28, removing hundreds of 2020 ballots and election records as federal agents pursued a criminal investigation tied to the 2020 presidential contest.
The raid has inflamed political leaders in Georgia, who say it raises questions about federal overreach and could erode public trust in election administration as the state prepares for key 2026 and 2028 contests.
According to AP and CBS News, agents seized ballots, tabulator tapes, electronic ballot images and voter rolls under the warrant at the Union City facility.
But the operation has caused confusion among local officials about the purpose and destination of those materials, even as DOJ civil rights litigation has sought the same documents.
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State Sen. Josh McLaurin said there appears to be no clear chain-of-custody protections once the materials leave county control. “There is no assurance that chain of custody is being preserved,” he said.
That matters because trust in election results has already been strained by repeated baseless claims about 2020, and this high-profile federal action could deepen skepticism among voters and officials alike.
Federal authorities have declined to detail what triggered the warrant, leaving unanswered questions about the ongoing criminal matter.
Local officials are expected to pursue legal challenges or seek clarification from federal prosecutors on the warrant’s basis and the handling of the seized records.
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