FBI Searches Fulton County Elections Hub in Probe of 2020 Election 'Defects'

Warrant seeks to seize ballots, tabulator tapes, and voter rolls from 2020 presidential election

Published on Feb. 10, 2026

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The FBI has executed a search warrant at the Fulton County elections hub in Georgia as part of an investigation into potential 'deficiencies or defects' in the 2020 presidential election vote count. The search warrant, which was unsealed on Tuesday, seeks to seize physical ballots, tabulator tapes, ballot images, and voter rolls from the 2020 election as evidence. The investigation was initiated based on a referral from an attorney who has been involved in efforts by former President Donald Trump to challenge the 2020 election results.

Why it matters

The FBI's search of the Fulton County elections hub is the latest development in the ongoing debate over the integrity of the 2020 presidential election. While audits, state officials, and courts have rejected claims of widespread fraud, some continue to allege that there were irregularities that could have affected the outcome. This investigation could reignite those claims and further polarize the political landscape around election security issues.

The details

According to the unsealed affidavits, the FBI is investigating two potential federal election law violations: the retention and preservation of election records, which is a misdemeanor, and the deprivation of a fair election, which is a felony. The search warrant was authorized based on an affidavit submitted by FBI Special Agent Hugh Raymond Evans, who cited a referral from attorney Kurt Olsen, who has been involved in efforts by former President Trump to investigate the 2020 election.

  • The FBI search of the Fulton County elections hub occurred on January 28, 2026.
  • The search warrant affidavits were unsealed on February 10, 2026, hours before a federal judge's deadline to make them public.

The players

FBI

The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the primary investigative arm of the United States Department of Justice.

Fulton County

The county in Georgia that includes the city of Atlanta and is home to the Fulton County elections hub that was searched by the FBI.

Kurt Olsen

An attorney who has been involved in efforts by former President Donald Trump to investigate the 2020 presidential election and who referred the case to the FBI that led to the search of the Fulton County elections hub.

Brad Raffensperger

The Georgia Secretary of State who has stated that Georgia is 'the safest and most secure place to vote' and has criticized the waste of 'time and tax dollars trying to change the past with baseless and repackaged claims' about the 2020 election.

Robb Pitts

The chairman of the Fulton County Board of Commissioners who, along with the Fulton County Board of Registration and Elections, filed a motion seeking the unsealing of the records related to the FBI search.

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What they’re saying

“Instead of wasting time and tax dollars trying to change the past with baseless and repackaged claims, let's focus our efforts on building a safer, more affordable future for all hardworking Georgians.”

— Brad Raffensperger, Georgia Secretary of State (wrdw.com)

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on whether to return the seized 2020 election records to Fulton County officials.

The takeaway

This investigation highlights the ongoing political divisions and debates around the integrity of the 2020 presidential election, even years later. While claims of widespread fraud have been rejected by officials and the courts, the FBI's search of the Fulton County elections hub shows that some continue to pursue investigations into potential irregularities, which could further polarize the political landscape around election security issues.