Overview
- At a December 9 hearing, Fulton County’s attorney said the county does not dispute that tabulation tapes from 2020 early voting were not signed, acknowledging a violation of State Election Board rules.
- An investigation by the Secretary of State’s office sustained findings that 36 of 37 advanced voting sites failed to sign closing tapes and 32 did not verify zero tapes at opening.
- The Georgia State Election Board voted to refer the matter to the Attorney General’s Office for potential enforcement of the tabulation‑tape rule.
- Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger called the lapse a clerical error that does not erase valid votes, and the office said there is no legal mechanism to overturn results based on a procedural rule outside the election code.
- Election experts note Georgia’s 2020 presidential ballots were counted three times, including a full hand recount, while activist David Cross seeks sanctions and decertification of Fulton’s advanced voting results as political criticism and related DOJ litigation continue.