The Justice Department filed a request for the complete list of election workers who staffed Georgia's Fulton County during the 2020 presidential election. The demand targets the county Trump repeatedly accused of election fraud, claiming irregularities there cost him the state against Joe Biden.
Fulton County, which includes Atlanta, delivered roughly 73 percent of its votes to Biden statewide. Trump and his legal team have centered their fraud allegations on this Democratic stronghold, citing disputed claims about ballot counting procedures and election administration.
The Justice Department's request marks an escalation in scrutiny over 2020 election operations. Federal authorities now seek identifying information on every poll worker, election official, and staff member involved in administering the county's ballots.
The timing connects to broader federal investigations into January 6th and alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 results. Fulton County district attorney Fani Willis separately brought election-related criminal charges against Trump and 18 co-defendants in August 2023, alleging a conspiracy to reverse Georgia's outcome.
Election officials in Fulton County have previously rejected fraud claims. Multiple audits, recounts, and court cases throughout Georgia upheld the 2020 results. The Georgia Secretary of State's office certified Biden won by roughly 12,000 votes statewide.
The worker list request raises concerns among election administrators about privacy and potential harassment. Election workers in the county have previously reported receiving threatening messages following Trump's fraud allegations. Some observers worry that releasing names could enable further targeting of individuals who performed routine election duties.
The Justice Department has not publicly detailed what it intends to do with the worker information or whether this request connects to ongoing investigations. The department's civil rights division oversees federal election protection matters.
THE TAKEAWAY: Federal authorities are intensifying examination of election administration in Fulton County, the Georgia county Trump has most ag