A federal judge in Georgia denies a request from Fulton County election officials to require the FBI to return ballots and other voting materials from the 2020 election. The motion asks for the return of materials that federal agents seized earlier this year, prompting concern among local officials and outside groups focused on election integrity. According to reports, the ruling rejects the county’s attempt to compel the FBI to hand back the seized items. The decision means the ballots and related materials remain in federal custody while the matter continues through the legal process. The case has drawn attention because it involves the handling of official election records and the authority for federal seizure of voting-related materials. The judge’s denial addresses the specific legal request to compel return; it does not, as reported, resolve broader questions about the seizure’s basis in the public dispute surrounding the 2020 election. The outcome leaves Fulton County seeking further legal options rather than immediate restoration of the 2020 materials.