Georgia State Election Board Declines Fulton County Takeover, For Now

Board member leaves door open for future intervention after FBI raid on county election warehouse.

Published on Feb. 26, 2026

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Georgia's State Election Board did not move to take control of Fulton County's elections at a recent meeting, but at least one board member signaled they may consider future intervention. The board passed a measure seeking access to election records seized by the FBI during a raid on the county's election warehouse in January. Some state lawmakers have called for the board to replace Fulton's election superintendent, citing issues with voter roll maintenance and the 2020 and 2024 elections, but the county commission chair said they have complied with the law.

Why it matters

Fulton County, a Democratic stronghold home to much of Atlanta, has been at the center of former President Trump's baseless claims of widespread voter fraud. The state election board has the power to take over underperforming county election boards under a 2021 law, raising concerns about potential political interference in a key battleground county.

The details

The State Election Board did not take action to seize control of Fulton County's elections, but board member Janelle King said she was waiting to see what comes from the FBI's seizure of 700 boxes of election records during a January raid on the county's election warehouse. Fulton County Commission Chair Robb Pitts said the county has complied with the law and will not release personal voter information. Some state lawmakers, including Republican Sen. Greg Dolezal, have called for the board to replace Fulton's election superintendent, citing issues with voter roll maintenance and the 2020 and 2024 elections.

  • The State Election Board meeting was held on February 15-16, 2026.
  • The FBI raid on Fulton County's election warehouse occurred in January 2026.
  • A hearing on Fulton County's lawsuit seeking the return of seized election records is scheduled for next Friday.

The players

Janelle King

A member of the Georgia State Election Board who signaled she may consider future intervention in Fulton County's elections.

Robb Pitts

The Fulton County Commission Chair who said the county has complied with the law and will not release personal voter information.

Greg Dolezal

A Republican state senator who has publicly called for the State Election Board to take over elections in Fulton County, citing issues with voter roll maintenance.

Brad Raffensperger

The Georgia Secretary of State who was subpoenaed by the State Election Board over a case involving an alleged double voter in Fulton County.

Willie 'Bo' Barber II

A Georgia-based faith leader who spoke out against the attack on the voting rights of Fulton County residents.

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What they’re saying

“I'm waiting to see what happens with the DOJ and the FBI seizure, and see what comes out of that.”

— Janelle King, State Election Board member (newsfromthestates.com)

“As long as we're compliant with the laws, I'm satisfied, and we have released everything that we were legally required to do. But we were not, unless directed to do so, going to release anything that would contain any personal information, people who voted absentee, personal identification, name, address, telephone number, Social Security, things like that. We're not going to do that.”

— Robb Pitts, Fulton County Commission Chair (newsfromthestates.com)

“What happened in Fulton County does not stay in Fulton County. It also travels into Newton County, into Bibb County, Muscogee County, Chatham County, all over the state of Georgia.”

— Willie 'Bo' Barber II, Rev., Prospect AME Church (newsfromthestates.com)

“It is ridiculous that we're spending taxpayer money trying to make Trump feel better. I think there is a move to interfere with our elections in the state of Georgia, and this is just a step in that direction.”

— Nikki Merritt, Georgia State Senator, Grayson Democrat (newsfromthestates.com)

What’s next

The State Election Board's next meeting will be held on March 18 at Marietta City Hall, where they may consider further action regarding Fulton County's elections.

The takeaway

This case highlights the ongoing political tensions and concerns over potential interference in Georgia's elections, particularly in Democratic-leaning Fulton County. The state's election board has the power to take over county election operations, raising fears of partisan influence, even as officials insist they are following the law.