New Georgia Election Board Revives Fulton County 2020 Ballot Investigation

In a move sparking renewed debate, the Georgia Election Board voted Wednesday to reopen the investigation into Fulton County’s handling of the 2020 presidential recount. This decision, passed by a narrow 3-2 margin, reopens a contentious case about alleged double-counted ballots in the state’s most populous county, an area predominantly supporting Democrat Joe Biden.

The investigation has been tasked to Attorney General Chris Carr, with a progress report expected within 30 days.

The board’s Republican majority, recently strengthened with a new right-wing appointee, pushed for this renewed scrutiny, citing evidence that over 3,000 ballots may have been counted twice. Previous investigations attributed these discrepancies to disorganization and human error, with no conclusive proof of widespread fraud or any significant impact on the election outcome.

By The Numbers

• 3-2: The vote count by which the Georgia Election Board decided to reinvestigate.
• 12,000: Approximate margin of Biden’s victory in Georgia after three vote counts.
• 3,000: Estimated number of ballots suspected of being double-counted during the recount.
• 73%: Percentage of votes Biden received in Fulton County.
• 939: Net gain in votes for Trump in Fulton during the recount.
• 17,852: Number of missing digital ballot images and verification documents cited for review.

In Context

Fulton County, encompassing much of Atlanta, has been a focal point in the election integrity debate since 2020. Despite multiple audits and court cases confirming Biden’s win in Georgia, claims of irregularities have persisted, particularly among conservatives.

This investigation is part of a broader narrative where Republican-led states and counties are scrutinizing the 2020 election procedures, aiming to ensure future election integrity and address voter concerns, even as previous inquiries found no evidence of fraud significant enough to alter the election results.

News You Can Use

For residents of Georgia concerned about either election integrity or the new measures being taken by Georgia’s State Board of Elections, the next scheduled meeting of the state elections board is October 8. These meetings are open to the public and there is usually time for public comment. You can learn more about the state election board here: https://sos.ga.gov/state-election-board

Questions for Officials

1. What specific new evidence prompted the decision to reopen the investigation into Fulton County’s 2020 election handling?
2. How will the investigation better address the previously identified issues of disorganization and human error?
3. How will the costs of the investigation be justified in terms of taxpayer dollars and resource allocation?

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