Georgia Election Officials Meet Amid Tensions Over FBI Raid

Controversy surrounds who controls voting in Fulton County, Georgia's largest county

Feb. 23, 2026 at 8:23am

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The Georgia Election Board held its first meeting since an FBI raid on Fulton County's election operations, sparking a high-stakes showdown over the future of voting in the county. Hundreds watched online as the board heard cases of alleged election violations statewide, while faith leaders protested outside, calling it an attack on voting rights. State lawmakers are pushing to take control of Fulton County's elections, claiming voter rolls are littered with false addresses, while others see it as voter intimidation ahead of the 2026 elections.

Why it matters

The controversy over the FBI raid and efforts to take control of Fulton County's elections highlights the ongoing political tensions and debates around election integrity and voting rights in Georgia. The outcome could have significant implications for the administration of future elections in the state's largest county.

The details

The FBI raid on Fulton County's election hub three weeks ago on Jan. 28 has sparked a fierce debate. Agents reportedly seized hundreds of boxes of ballots and documents from the 2020 election, which former President Donald Trump has claimed was rigged against him. State lawmakers are now pushing to have the state take control of Fulton County's elections, citing issues with voter rolls, while others see it as an effort to intimidate voters ahead of the 2026 elections.

  • The Georgia Election Board held its first meeting since the FBI raid on Fulton County's election operations on February 19, 2026.
  • The FBI raid on Fulton County's election hub occurred on January 28, 2026.

The players

Georgia Election Board

The state board responsible for overseeing elections in Georgia.

Fulton County

Georgia's largest county, where the FBI raid on election operations took place.

State Sen. Greg Dolezal

A Georgia state senator who has claimed Fulton's voter rolls are littered with false addresses and wants the state to take control of the county's elections.

State Rep. Stacey Evans

A Georgia state representative who has called the efforts to take control of Fulton County's elections a "distraction" and "ploy to relitigate 2020" and intimidate voters.

Pastor Cynthia Hale

A faith leader who protested outside the election board meeting, saying they "will not sit back and be silent while this latest egregious effort to rob us of our right to vote takes place."

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What they’re saying

“We will not sit back and be silent while this latest egregious effort to rob us of our right to vote takes place.”

— Pastor Cynthia Hale (wrdw.com)

“All Georgians votes are being diluted by people illegally registered to vote at UPS stores, empty parking lots, storage units, homeless shelters that have been closed since 2017.”

— State Sen. Greg Dolezal (wrdw.com)

“This is a distraction. It's a ploy to relitigate 2020 and even more so to take control and to intimidate voters going into the 2026 elections.”

— State Rep. Stacey Evans (wrdw.com)

What’s next

Under Georgia law, the state Election Board can appoint a temporary superintendent to take control of Fulton County's elections if they believe the county is not following election rules.

The takeaway

The controversy over the FBI raid and efforts to take control of Fulton County's elections underscores the ongoing political tensions and debates around election integrity in Georgia. The outcome could have significant implications for the administration of future elections in the state's largest county.