Fulton County, Georgia, recently admitted during a hearing before the Georgia State Election Board (SEB) that around 315,000 early votes from the 2020 election were improperly certified. This admission arose from a challenge filed by David Cross, an election integrity activist, who alleged that the county failed to adhere to Georgia statutes regarding the certification of advanced voting. Specifically, he claimed that polling workers did not sign the required vote tabulation tapes, which are essential for validating election results.

Ann Brumbaugh, an attorney for the Fulton County Board of Registration and Elections, confirmed at the hearing that the county did not dispute the absence of signatures on the tabulation tapes, acknowledging it as a violation of election rules. She noted that since the 2020 election, the county has implemented new leadership and enhanced training procedures to prevent such issues in the future.

An investigation by the Georgia Secretary of State's Office corroborated the findings, revealing that 36 out of 37 advanced voting precincts in Fulton County failed to sign the necessary tabulation tapes. Georgia law mandates that election officials print and sign three closing tapes at the end of each voting day, as well as a zero tape at the start of each voting day to ensure that voting machines are clear of previous data.

The absence of these signed tapes raises significant concerns about the authenticity of the reported vote totals. Cross emphasized that these tapes serve as the sole legal certification of the election results. He also reported additional irregularities, including polling locations operating at unusual hours and discrepancies in scanner serial numbers.

Cross has requested that the SEB impose sanctions on Fulton County, publicly acknowledge the violations, and decertify the county's 2020 advanced voting results. He argues that this action is necessary not to alter the election outcome but to ensure accountability and transparency in the electoral process. The Georgia Secretary of State's Office has not commented on the matter as of the time of publication.