Judge Rejects Fulton County’s Bid to Get Back 2020 Ballots Seized in FBI Raid

In a significant blow to Fulton County, Georgia, a federal judge denied the county’s request to have ballots from the 2020 election returned after they were seized in an FBI raid. The ruling, handed down on Wednesday, allows the Department of Justice to retain possession of these election records amid an ongoing investigation.

Fulton County, a Democratic stronghold and a focal point of Trump’s baseless claims of election fraud, has been fighting to get its ballots back since the FBI’s January 2026 raid. The raid itself was part of a broader Trump-era push to intimidate election officials and cast doubt on the integrity of the 2020 vote. The DOJ’s refusal to return the ballots underscores the federal government’s position that these materials are critical evidence in ongoing inquiries.

Rob Pitts, chair of the Fulton County Board of Commissioners, condemned the raid as an attempt to undermine democracy and voter confidence. “We only want what is legal and right,” Pitts said, emphasizing the county’s commitment to protecting election integrity despite relentless attacks.

The judge’s ruling highlighted that the DOJ had provided sufficient legal justification for keeping the ballots, citing concerns about potential interference with the investigation. While Fulton County can appeal the decision to the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals, this setback reflects a broader pattern of aggressive federal scrutiny aimed at election officials in key battleground areas.

This case is emblematic of the Trump administration’s continued efforts to sow distrust in democratic processes, weaponizing law enforcement to target counties that delivered Biden’s 2020 victory. The refusal to return ballots not only prolongs uncertainty but also chills the willingness of officials to administer elections without fear of retaliation.

As the fight over Fulton County’s ballots continues, the stakes remain high for the future of election security and democratic accountability in the United States. The DOJ’s firm stance signals that investigations into the 2020 election irregularities—many of which have been debunked—are far from over, keeping the pressure on local officials caught in the crossfire of politicized justice.