Federal Judge Hears Fulton County Case on Seized 2020 Ballots

A federal judge in Atlanta is set to hear arguments on Friday as officials in Georgia's Fulton County seek the return of ballots and election materials seized by the FBI in January from a county warehouse. The hearing before U.S. District Judge J.P. Boulee follows unsuccessful court-ordered mediation between the county and the Justice Department.

The dispute centers on the FBI's January 28 search of the elections hub in Fulton County, Georgia's most populous area and a Democratic stronghold that encompasses much of Atlanta. Agents removed more than 650 boxes of records related to the 2020 presidential election, including ballots, tabulator tapes and digital images. The action stemmed from a federal investigation into possible irregularities during the vote count in the county, which former President Donald Trump and his allies have repeatedly cited in unsubstantiated allegations of widespread fraud.

The Justice Department stated the probe examines compliance with two federal laws: one requiring election records to be kept for 22 months after an election, and another barring the procurement, casting or tabulation of false ballots. Investigators are specifically reviewing whether...