Georgia 2020 presidential election voter fraud investigation results
Executive summary
The multiple probes into allegations of voter fraud in Georgia's 2020 presidential election repeatedly found no evidence of widespread fraud that would have changed the outcome: state audits, a hand recount and a machine recount confirmed Joe Biden's victory and investigators concluded there was no proof that fraudulent ballots were scanned and counted in the final tabulation in Fulton County [1] [2]. At the same time, state and federal law enforcement have pursued a mix of narrow criminal referrals, local disciplinary findings and broader criminal probes — including an active Department of Justice/FBI inquiry that led to a high‑profile search of a Fulton County election hub in January 2026 [3] [4] [5].
1. The state recounts and audits upheld the result, with investigators finding no evidence of swapped or fraudulent ballots
Georgia carried out an initial count, a full statewide hand audit and a machine recount; official reporting of those processes showed similar final tallies and state investigators explicitly reported "no evidence to suggest fraudulent ballots were scanned and counted in the final tabulated results" for the November 2020 general election in Fulton County [1] [2]. Independent fact‑checkers and legal decisions across jurisdictions likewise rejected claims of widespread fraud in Georgia, and state officials repeatedly certified the results after those reviews [6] [2].
2. Isolated errors and procedural lapses were identified, but auditors and boards said they did not alter the outcome
State investigators and the Georgia Elections Board found procedural errors in parts of the Fulton County recount and later reprimanded local officials, but those discrepancies were characterized as not significant enough to change the election result; the board’s actions included ordering an independent monitor for future elections rather than reversing outcomes [2]. Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger acknowledged clerical and procedural issues but emphasized that valid, lawfully cast votes were verified and that clerical errors did not erase votes [7] [8].
3. The Secretary of State’s office referred a handful of narrow criminal cases for prosecution
The State Election Board and the Secretary of State’s investigations produced referrals for criminal prosecution limited to specific alleged violations — for example, a small number of cases involving felons or non‑citizens registering or voting and a misplaced ballot — matters that the board said did not affect the overall outcome [3]. These referrals represent targeted enforcement of election law, not proof of systemic fraud that would overturn the statewide result [3].
4. Federal law enforcement pursued a broader inquiry that produced seizures and intense scrutiny
Federal investigators took a more expansive investigative tack: the FBI executed a court‑authorized search warrant at the Fulton County Election Hub in Union City and seized ballots, tabulator tapes, electronic ballot images and voter rolls as part of an ongoing Justice Department/FBI inquiry into allegations tied to the 2020 contest [4] [5] [9]. News outlets characterized the search as a response to long‑running, largely discredited claims promoted by former President Trump and his allies, and federal authorities have been examining whether any crimes occurred in relation to those claims [6] [4].
5. Political context, false electors and the Trump‑Raffensperger call are central to the investigations
The criminal and congressional inquiries into the post‑election period have focused less on ballot‑counting mechanics than on the campaign’s efforts to overturn results — including the pressure campaign on Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger and the creation of alternative slates of Trump electors — both of which have been documented and cited by investigators and prosecutors [10] [11]. The Brennan Center and other analysts have flagged a catalog of false claims used to justify those efforts, many of which independent investigation teams found to be false or unproven [11].
6. What has not been established publicly and what to watch next
Public reporting so far establishes that routine audits confirmed the vote, that limited prosecutions were sought for specific alleged violations, and that federal agents executed seizures as part of an ongoing inquiry, but sources provided here do not deliver a finished criminal adjudication of all contested questions; the broader federal probe and state criminal proceedings remain active and represent the next phase where legal findings, indictments or dismissals will determine whether further culpability is proven in court [4] [5] [3]. The record assembled by state audits, the State Election Board and reputable fact‑checks supports the central factual finding: no evidence of widespread ballot fraud that altered the 2020 presidential result in Georgia has been substantiated to date [1] [2].