A federal judge on Wednesday ruled that the Justice Department can keep the 2020 election ballots seized during an FBI raid earlier this year, handing the Trump administration a legal victory as it continues pursuing claims tied to alleged voter fraud in Georgia.
U.S. District Judge J.P. Boulee rejected Fulton County’s request to have the materials returned after federal agents seized more than 600 boxes of ballots and election records from the county’s election operations center in January.
Fulton County officials had argued the search was based on flawed and discredited evidence and violated constitutional protections. Their attorneys claimed the FBI affidavit used to secure the warrant omitted key information showing many of the allegations had already been reviewed and dismissed or explained as routine election issues rather than misconduct.
Boulee acknowledged problems with the affidavit but said the errors did not rise to the level required for the court to order the records returned.
“While the Affidavit was certainly far from perfect, this is not a situation where an officer left out all the facts that might undermine probable cause or where an officer intentionally lied,” Boulee wrote in his 68-page decision.
The ruling allows federal investigators to retain the ballots and continue examining whether election records were improperly handled or whether Fulton County voters were denied a fair election process.
Still, the broader investigation faces major legal and practical hurdles. Justice Department lawyers have not publicly identified any targets, and prosecutors have not disputed arguments that the statute of limitations may already have expired for the potential crimes under review.
The dispute has drawn national attention because it comes as President Donald Trump continues questioning the legitimacy of the 2020 election and warning about possible federal intervention in local election systems ahead of the November contests.
Trump has repeatedly claimed, without evidence, that widespread fraud cost him the 2020 election against former President Joe Biden. His administration has since directed federal agencies to revisit claims surrounding vote counting and ballot handling in several states.
Federal agents carried out the January raid at the Fulton County Election Hub in Union City, Georgia, after receiving approval from a federal magistrate judge. Investigators pointed to alleged irregularities, including claims involving missing ballot images and absentee ballots that did not appear folded in a typical manner.
The investigation reportedly stemmed from a referral by attorney Kurt Olsen, who previously assisted Trump’s efforts to challenge the 2020 election outcome and now serves in a White House role reviewing election-related matters.
The FBI raid also attracted attention because Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard attended the search despite her office traditionally focusing on foreign intelligence and national security threats.
Fulton County became a focal point of election conspiracy theories after Biden’s large margin there helped Democrats narrowly win Georgia in 2020. Trump later carried the state in the 2024 election.
During a court hearing in March, an election expert advising Fulton County testified that much of the evidence cited by investigators reflected misunderstandings about how election systems and ballot processing work, rather than proof of fraud or intentional wrongdoing.
County Chairman Robb Pitts said Fulton County plans to continue fighting the ruling through all available legal avenues, adding that county officials strongly disagree with the court’s decision.
