Fulton County election leaders warn of new push to strip local control ahead of 2026 vote

Fulton County leaders and national election experts are warning that a renewed push at the state Capitol could weaken local control over elections — just as federal investigators and outside activist groups intensify scrutiny of the county's voting system.

At a public town hall Thursday night, Commissioners Dana Barrett and Mo Ivory said Fulton County has once again become a testing ground in a broader national fight over who controls elections — local communities or higher levels of government. 

Why this meeting mattered

In simple terms, speakers said some political actors are trying to:

• Challenge voter registrations in large numbers
• Create confusion and distrust around election results
• Shift decision-making power away from counties like Fulton

Experts warned those efforts could make it harder for people to vote — or harder for counties to run elections — by the time Georgians head to the polls in the 2026 midterms. 

DOJ investigation raises new concerns

Panelists confirmed Fulton County is now tied to a growing investigation involving the U.S. Department of Justice, which has requested extensive voter records going back to the 2020 election.

Election security experts said those records may include sensitive personal information and warned that broad federal data requests — even when no wrongdoing is alleged — can still undermine public confidence.

"They want to sow doubt about past elections and current voters," one expert said. 

Election Integrity Network under scrutiny

Speakers also pointed to repeated voter challenges pushed by activists connected to the Election Integrity Network, which has challenged the eligibility of thousands of Fulton County voters in recent years.

Experts said those challenges often disproportionately affect Black and Brown voters and force counties to spend millions in taxpayer dollars responding — even when claims are later rejected. 

The DOGE scandal and election materials

The discussion also touched on what speakers referred to as the DOGE scandal, involving alleged efforts to turn over sensitive election materials and records to third-party political groups.

Experts stressed that removing or tampering with ballots, voting machines, or voter data is illegal under federal law and warned that similar tactics are now being discussed or replicated nationwide. 

The bigger fight: taking power away from county commissioners

A central warning from the panel focused on proposed and expected legislation that could reduce or eliminate the authority of county Boards of Commissioners over election administration.

In recent years, Georgia lawmakers have:

• Expanded the power of the State Election Board to step in and replace county election boards
• Considered legislation allowing state lawmakers — not county leaders — to remove or replace local election boards
• Shifted authority over certification and voter challenges away from counties and toward state-level bodies

Experts told the audience that future legislation could further weaken the role of county commissions by limiting their discretion in appointing or overseeing election boards, effectively sidelining local control in large counties like Fulton. 

"This isn't theoretical," Commissioner Barrett said. "There are active efforts to distract, destabilize, and destroy confidence in how elections are run at the local level." 

Why Fulton County is in the spotlight

Election experts from the Brennan Center for Justice said Fulton County became a national focus after the 2020 election — and warned that strategies tested here are now spreading to other states.

"What's happening in Fulton is beginning to happen all over the country," one panelist said. 

Former election officials also described how constant challenges and political pressure have made it harder to hire staff, retain workers, and run elections smoothly.

What voters are being urged to do

County leaders encouraged residents to:

• Check their voter registration regularly throughout the year
• Rely on trusted, objective news sources — not social media
• Pay attention to legislation that affects who controls elections, not just who is on the ballot

"This is about protecting democracy before there's a crisis," Commissioner Ivory said. 

The town hall comes as state lawmakers prepare for another legislative session where election authority and local control are expected to be key battlegrounds heading into 2026.