Investigation into the 2020 Georgia election being requested from the Department of Justice by the state's Election Board for a second time.
The Georgia State Election Board's investigation into the 2020 election, particularly in Fulton County, is currently stalled and surrounded by political controversy.
In late July 2025, the board's far-right faction passed a resolution calling on Georgia’s Attorney General and Secretary of State to seek federal assistance, including from the DOJ, to obtain voting records and documents related to the 2020 election from Fulton County.
The resolution is part of an ongoing effort by that faction to scrutinize and find alleged wrongdoing in Fulton County’s election handling. However, no proven widespread fraud has been uncovered.
Backlog of Investigations and Focus on New Rules
The Georgia State Election Board has faced significant operational challenges. The board has created a backlog of over 300 election investigation cases due to prioritizing new voting rules over addressing election fraud complaints since 2024. Decisions on these investigations—covering issues like double voting and absentee ballot fraud—have been delayed, and no conclusive findings of widespread fraud have been confirmed.
Legal Dispute Over Subpoenaed Documents
The legal dispute over subpoenaed documents from Fulton County remains contested and unresolved. Fulton County has not responded to the board's request for 2020 election documents. A hearing on the county's motion to quash the subpoena is scheduled for September.
Political Tensions and Allegations
The board's actions are not without controversy. Kristin Nabers, Georgia State Director of All Voting Is Local, stated that the board's actions are a "blatant abuse of power" to intimidate local election officials. The voting rights group claims the board is attempting to "endlessly relitigate the 2020 general election."
John Fervier, an appointee of Gov. Brian Kemp, strongly objected to the resolution, while Janice Johnston, an appointee of the Georgia Republican Party, proposed it. Sara Tindall Ghazal, a Democratic Party appointee, also opposed the resolution.
Johnston asserted that "this case is not closed. It is not dismissed." Johnston claimed that the case isn't over and Fulton County hasn't responded to the board's Election Day 2024 subpoena seeking the 2020 documents.
Personnel Changes
The board's divided vote to hire Hope Coan, the wife of the board's former executive director, Mike Coan, as Mills' executive assistant, occurred last week. The three-vote majority voted to strip power from John Fervier and give authority over personnel, job postings, and meeting dates to James Mills, the newly hired executive director.
In conclusion, the board’s investigation in Fulton County has been energized by far-right members seeking federal help to probe 2020 election records. Meanwhile, the board’s overall investigative capacity is hampered by a backlog and focus on other priorities. Legal efforts to obtain Fulton County documents remain contested and unresolved. Accusations of fraud remain unproven, and election officials emphasize election integrity.
- The media has been reporting extensively on the Georgia State Election Board's ongoing investigation into the 2020 election, particularly in Fulton County, which is being surrounded by political controversy.
- In the realm of policy and legislation, the Georgia State Election Board's far-right faction has passed a resolution to seek federal assistance, including from the DOJ, to obtain voting records and documents related to the 2020 election from Fulton County.
- General news coverage also includes allegations from voting rights groups and political figures, such as Kristin Nabers, Georgia State Director of All Voting Is Local, who assert that the board's actions are a "blatant abuse of power" to intimidate local election officials and endlessly relitigate the 2020 general election.
