FBI executing sealed search warrant at Fulton County election facility
FBI executes warrant at Fulton County elections office
FBI agents executed a court-authorized, sealed search warrant at Fulton County’s elections operations facility in Atlanta. Officials confirmed the warrant was served, but investigators have not released details about the focus of the activity. The FBI says the action is part of an ongoing investigation, with no further information disclosed at this time.
FULTON COUNTY, Ga. - Federal agents carried out a law enforcement action, later confirmed as a sealed search warrant, Wednesday at a Fulton County election facility located in Fairburn, Georgia.
FBI raids Fulton County election office
What we know:
Multiple law enforcement vehicles and agents were seen at the county’s Election Hub and Operations Center in Fairburn, a site that opened in 2023 to centralize and modernize election operations.
A photojournalist with FOX 5 Atlanta observed agents outside the building as activity unfolded. Shortly after, FBI Atlanta confirmed agents were executing a court-authorized action at the facility’s address on Campbellton Fairburn Road. A spokesperson then told FOX 5 Atlanta that the FBI was there to conduct an active sealed search warrant.
A source told FOX 5 Atlanta that the FBI was there to take custody of Fulton County election ballots from 2020.
Authorities did not say what prompted the operation or what records or materials, if any, were being sought. The FBI said it could not release additional details just yet because the matter remains ongoing. The Department of Justice also declined to comment, according to FOX News Digital.
Fulton County's election process has been at the center of scrutiny and public debate in recent years, starting with the trouble in 2020 resulting in then-former President Trump and 19 supporters being indicted for election interference by Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis.
The case was ultimately dismissed against Trump and the supporters who had not already taken in a deal after Trump was re-elected and Willis was disqualified because of her relationship with the former special prosecutor assigned to the case.
Fulton County confirms FBI raid
What they're saying:
Fulton County officials confirmed the search. A spokesperson issued a written statement that said,
"Today, the Federal Bureau of Investigation served a search warrant at the Fulton County Elections Hub and Operations Center. The warrant sought a number of records related to 2020 elections. This operation is still actively underway. We cannot provide further information at this time."
Atlanta FBI Agent in Charge change
Dig deeper:
The Associated Press reports that sources told them the FBI moved to replace its top agent in Atlanta, Paul W. Brown, last week It was not immediately clear why the move, which was not publicized by the FBI, was made.
Reaction to FBI raid in Fulton County
What they're saying:
Salleigh Grubbs, the newest member of the State Election Board, said she supported the action because "the people deserve answers." Grubbs said she assumes the warrant is to search for previously subpoenaed documents.
"It was shocking to me," she said. "I just decided to come down and observe."
FBI seen raiding Fulton County Elections Office in Fairburn
The FBI executed a "court-authorized action" at a Fulton election facility.
The other side:
Georgia lawmakers outside the building told FOX 5 News that they thought something like this would happen, but they're upset by it.
Josh McLaurin, State Senator for District 14, said the state is a "target of Donald Trump's narcissism… because he's still mad he lost the 2020 election."
Debate over 2020 election interference
The backstory:
Former Special Counsel Jack Smith told lawmakers on Jan. 22 that Georgia sat at the center of his now-dismissed federal investigation into efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election, repeatedly describing the state as "ground zero" for alleged criminal conduct.
Smith testified for several hours before the House Judiciary Committee, defending the integrity of his probe and said the evidence in the case was built largely on actions and statements from Republican officials in Georgia.
President Trump has repeatedly insisted that the 2020 election was stolen from him by former President Joe Biden.
According to Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, votes in Georgia were ultimately counted three times, including a hand recount, before the state certified the results that showed Biden as the winner.
FOX 5 Atlanta has also previously reported that Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr told Trump's legal team "we're just not seeing the things you are seeing" when reviewing claims of widespread fraud and Carr said his office independently analyzed allegations of election wrongdoing but found no basis for state criminal charges at that time.
In December 2025, Fulton County officials acknowledged procedural violations from the 2020 election, admitting that more than 130 tabulator tapes covering roughly 315,000 early in-person votes were not signed as required. Ten additional tapes, representing more than 20,000 votes, were reported missing. The State Election Board voted unanimously to refer the matter to the Georgia attorney general and requested fines of $5,000 per missing tape.
State election board member Janelle King criticized the problems, calling them "sloppy" and "lazy" at best and "egregious" at worst. Garland Favorito with VoterGA said the mistakes amounted to "catastrophic breaks in the chain of custody."
Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger pushed back, saying a clerical mistake at the end of the day does not invalidate legal votes. He said voters were properly verified with photo ID and election results were audited multiple times. Fulton County officials acknowledged poll workers made administrative errors and said additional training has since been put in place.
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This is a developing news story. Check back for updates.