Georgia Election Board Refers Fulton County for 2020 Violations

The Georgia State Election Board voted 3-0 to refer Fulton County to the Georgia Attorney General's Office for possible sanctions after county officials admitted to violating state regulations during the 2020 presidential election. During a December 9, 2025, meeting, county attorney Ann Brumbaugh acknowledged that approximately 130 tabulator tapes—representing roughly 315,000 early votes—were not signed by poll workers. State law requires a poll manager and two witnesses to sign these tapes to match voter numbers to totals.

Brad Raffensperger, Georgia Secretary of State, dismissed the omissions as a clerical error that did not affect the legality of the votes or the audited results. Conversely, board member Janelle King described the failure as potentially egregious. The board requested fines of $5,000 for each missing or unsigned tape, which could total over $670,000. Donald Trump cited the revelations as vindication of his claims regarding corruption and irregularities in the county.

Separately, Judge Robert McBurney ordered the county to immediately release 2020 election documents, including scanned ballot images, to the board. Fulton County Commission Chairman Robb Pitts stated the county would provide an itemized cost for producing these documents by January 7, estimating the expense at $400,000. The referral occurs amid a political contest for the 2026 Republican gubernatorial nomination between Raffensperger and Attorney General Chris Carr, while Trump has endorsed Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones.