ATLANTA — The state of Georgia is investigating accusations that Fulton County elections workers shredded voter registration applications.
The news came Monday, less than 24 hours before early voting is set to begin for municipal races in Fulton. A news release from the county said elections head Richard Barron had within the last two weeks fired two employees for allegedly shredding applications.
This is sure to raise the temperature on the partisan fight over the management of Fulton’s elections.
Fulton Commission Chairman Robb Pitts “immediately reported it to” Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis for investigation, according to the release.
“Elections are the most important function of our government,” Pitts said in the news release. “We have committed to transparency and integrity.”
Since a disastrous primary in June 2020, Fulton and Barron as its leader have been under heavy scrutiny. Republicans have been vocal and steadfast against Barron.
At the county level, Republicans unsuccessfully voted to fire Barron. At the state level, the GOP has begun an audit of Fulton that could lead to a takeover of the county’s elections. That is a new power given by Senate Bill 202, a bill passed by Georgia’s Republican-controlled General Assembly soon after the 2020 election cycle ended.
When asked by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution if the applications were recovered and if those affected were successfully registered to vote, Fulton spokeswoman Jessica Corbitt said: “Some of those details are still under review but any voter who questions should contact the Registration & Elections office.”
She said the office of Brad Raffensperger, a Republican, learned about the alleged shredding “when we notified them and requested that they investigate the actions of these two employees.”
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