The FBI conducted a raid on a Georgia election office on Wednesday, January 28, 2026, to obtain records from the 2020 presidential election, amid persistent but unsubstantiated claims of voter fraud by former President Donald Trump. Agents executed a search warrant at the Fulton County Election Hub outside Atlanta, seeking ballots, tabulator tapes, ballot images, and voter rolls, as part of what the FBI described as a ‘court-authorised law enforcement activity.’
The raid occurred in the context of Trump’s long-standing allegations that voter fraud cost him the state of Georgia in the 2020 election, which he lost to Joe Biden by approximately 12,000 votes. Despite multiple investigations and court rulings rejecting these claims, the Trump administration has continued to pursue them, including through a December lawsuit by the Department of Justice seeking access to Fulton County’s election materials.
Local officials reacted with anger and concern. Fulton County Commissioner Mo Ivory condemned the raid as an ‘assault on your vote,’ while state senator Josh McLaurin, a Democrat, expressed worries about the chain of custody of the seized materials, suggesting that improper handling could compromise their integrity. The warrant was initially challenged by county officials as ‘incorrect legally,’ leading to a corrected version being obtained.
This action follows a subpoena from Georgia’s Republican-controlled state election board and the federal lawsuit, which estimates that providing the requested documents could cost nearly $400,000 and take several months. The justice department’s civil rights division filed the suit after the state board’s demand, highlighting the ongoing legal battles over election records.
Democratic leaders denounced the raid. U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff of Georgia called it a continuation of Trump’s ‘sore loser’s crusade,’ referencing past efforts to overturn the election, including the January 6 Capitol attack. Voting rights advocates, such as Kristin Nabers of All Voting is Local, warned that this could set a dangerous precedent for future elections, allowing federal intervention in counties where preferred candidates lose.
The FBI provided limited details, with spokesperson Jenna Sellitto confirming the execution of a search warrant but offering no further information. The warrant listed Thomas Albus, interim U.S. attorney in Missouri, as the attorney for the government, though his office declined to comment on ongoing investigations.
This event underscores the deep political divisions over election integrity in the United States, with significant implications for the upcoming 2026 midterm elections. It reflects the enduring influence of Trump’s false claims and raises questions about the independence of law enforcement in electoral matters. As the investigation proceeds, the focus will be on whether any new evidence emerges and how this raid might affect voter confidence and administrative processes in Georgia and beyond.
