A U.S. district judge rules that the U.S. Department of Justice can keep 2020 election ballots seized by the FBI from a warehouse near Atlanta tied to Fulton County’s elections operations. The decision comes after Fulton County sought the return of the original paper ballots and other election materials, and argued that the seizure was improper and unconstitutional, including claims about any electronic copies the Justice Department may have created. Multiple outlets report that the seizure occurred on Jan. 28 and targeted Fulton County’s elections hub in Georgia’s most populous county, which includes much of the city of Atlanta and is described as heavily Democratic.
NBC News reports the judge rejects Fulton County’s request, concluding the county has not shown the federal government acted with “callous disregard” in taking the ballots. PBS NewsHour similarly describes the scope and location of the seizure. The judge’s ruling means the ballots remain in federal custody unless further legal action changes the outcome. The outlets agree on the judge’s name: J.P. Boulee, and that the dispute centers on whether the materials should be returned to the county.
