Judge Boulee denies Fulton County bid to recover seized 2020 election ballots
Updated
Updated · The Washington Post · May 6
Judge Boulee denies Fulton County bid to recover seized 2020 election ballots
32 articles · Updated · The Washington Post · May 6
The ruling lets the Justice Department keep more than 600 boxes taken by the FBI in January from Fulton County, Georgia, including original ballots from the 2020 vote.
Boulee said parts of the FBI warrant affidavit were troubling, but found county officials had not shown their rights were callously disregarded or that the search was improperly executed.
The decision allows the federal inquiry into Georgia's 2020 count to continue, amid criticism that the Trump administration is revisiting an election repeatedly upheld by audits and court rulings.
What measures are ensuring the integrity of the original 2020 ballots and voting records now in federal custody?
With federal agencies seizing local election materials, what new precedent is being set for future state-run elections?
The Fulton County Election Raid: Debunked Claims, DOJ Overreach, and Federal-State Tensions
Overview
In May 2026, Judge Boulee denied Fulton County's request to return 2020 election ballots seized by the FBI during a January raid authorized by a warrant based on discredited allegations. This ruling allowed the Justice Department to keep the ballots, despite acknowledged flaws in the affidavit. The raid followed a rapid federal investigation driven by Trump-appointed officials who revived previously dismissed claims. Fulton County faced legal hurdles, including blocked subpoenas and concerns over ballot security, but vowed to continue challenging the seizure. The case has sparked political backlash, strained federal-state election relations, and raised fears of a precedent for federal overreach in local election matters.