Judge Allows DOJ to Keep Seized 2020 Fulton County Ballots in Voter Fraud Investigation

A federal judge ruled Wednesday that the Justice Department can retain possession of 2020 election ballots seized during an FBI raid of Fulton County’s election hub in January, handing a victory to President Donald Trump’s administration as it pursues claims of voter fraud.

U.S. District Judge J.P. Boulee rejected Fulton County’s request for the return of original copies of the materials, which include more than 600 boxes of ballots from the 2020 presidential election. County attorneys had argued the FBI’s search relied on faulty evidence and violated constitutional protections.

While acknowledging flaws in the FBI affidavit used to secure the search warrant, Judge Boulee concluded in his 68-page ruling that these shortcomings did not amount to “callous disregard” for the county’s rights—the legal standard required to have the records returned.

“While the Affidavit was certainly far from perfect, this is not a situation where an officer left out all the facts that might undermine probable cause or where an officer intentionally lied,” wrote Boulee.

Fulton County Chairman Robb Pitts expressed disappointment with the ruling, stating the county intends to “vigorously” pursue all available legal options. The FBI and Justice Department have not yet commented on the decision.

The ruling represents a rare court victory for Trump’s Justice Department in its investigations stemming from the president’s claims about the 2020 election. However, the investigation still faces significant hurdles, including the apparent expiration of statutes of limitations for the crimes prosecutors say they are investigating.

The FBI raid in January targeted Fulton County’s election center in Union City, Georgia, where agents seized original ballots and other election records. The search warrant cited alleged “deficiencies or defects” with the 2020 vote, including claims that some digital ballot images were missing and certain absentee ballots appeared not to have been folded as required by procedure.

The investigation began with a referral from Kurt Olsen, an attorney who assisted Trump’s previous attempts to overturn the 2020 election results and has since been tasked by the White House with re-examining the vote. In an unusual move, Trump’s Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard personally attended the January raid, despite her role typically focusing on foreign threats.

The case has drawn intense attention from election officials and experts nationwide as Trump continues to question the integrity of local election systems ahead of the November elections. The president has repeatedly suggested a potential federal takeover of some local election operations.

Fulton County, a Democratic stronghold in Georgia, became a focal point of election fraud allegations after the 2020 election. Biden’s substantial margin in the county was crucial to his narrow victory in Georgia, though the state returned to the Republican column in 2024.

During court proceedings, Fulton County lawyers argued that the FBI affidavit omitted crucial context showing that many of its claims had previously been investigated and found to be either unfounded or the result of unintentional mistakes. At a March hearing, an election expert who advised the county testified that much of the evidence cited in the affidavit appeared to show a misunderstanding of standard election procedures.

Despite these arguments, Judge Boulee’s ruling allows federal investigators to maintain possession of the ballots as they continue their probe into whether election records were improperly retained or if Fulton County residents were defrauded of a fair election—though DOJ lawyers have yet to identify specific targets of the investigation.

The decision comes amid heightened tensions surrounding election administration and voting integrity as the country prepares for another high-stakes election season.