Georgia Elections Board Rebukes Fulton County for 2020 Mistake

The Georgia State Election Board has determined that Fulton County utilized improper procedures during the 2020 recount of the presidential election.

An investigation launched in 2022 revealed that election officials in Fulton County scanned more than 3,000 ballots twice, resulting in duplicate images during the recount in November 2020.

In a 2-1 vote, the elections board decided to send a reprimanding letter to the county and appoint a monitor to oversee the 2024 presidential election.

Charlene McGowan, general counsel under Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, stated, “The outcome of this investigation is that Fulton County employed improper procedures during the 2020 presidential recount.”

McGowan clarified that the ruling does not alter the election results, which saw President Joe Biden winning over former President Donald Trump by nearly 12,000 votes in Georgia.

“This investigation confirms what we already knew,” McGowan said. “There is no new information gleaned from this investigation.”

Fulton County spokesperson Jessica Corbitt defended the election officials of the county.

“The performance of Fulton County during the 2020 elections has been thoroughly reviewed, and the results, confirmed by three counts, remain unchanged,” Corbitt stated.

“There is no evidence of fraud or wrongdoing. As in previous reviews, most of the claims in this complaint were found to be unfounded, and once again, the results are not questioned.

“Post the 2020 election, Fulton County has hired a new director, implemented various procedural updates, and invested in a new elections headquarters,” Corbitt added. “It has conducted six elections, and independent monitors have acknowledged improvement. Fulton County is looking forward to moving past the issues related to 2020 and focusing on future elections.”

State Election Board member Janice Johnston, a Republican who voted against the motion, suggested that Fulton County election operations require further scrutiny.

“With over 140 violations of election laws and regulations, it would be a mistake not to refer this to the attorney general and pursue this,” Johnston stated.

The decision of the election board coincides with Georgia’s Republican Governor Brian Kemp enacting legislation outlining probable causes for removing voters from the rolls when their eligibility is questioned.