Absentee ballots in the 2020 Presidential election can be unsealed and examined for fraud in the state of Georgia, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (AJC).
Henry County Superior Court Judge Brian Amero announced Friday that nearly 145,000 Fulton County absentee ballots could be unsealed for review and legitimacy, according to the report.
Judge Amero noted that the ballots must remain in the custody of Fulton county officials while the review takes place. The review process can not undo the outcome of the election results, as Georgia certified the results of the 2020 Presidential election in November.
Plaintiffs argued that the latest review of ballots was to further investigate possible suspicious activity by election officials, according to the AJC. (RELATED: Officials Agree To Remove Dead People From Voting Lists In Pennsylvania)
Fulton County Commission Chairman Robb Pitts told the AJC Amero’s decision to unseal the ballots was “outrageous.” “It is outrageous that Fulton County continues to be a target of those who cannot accept the results from last year’s election. The votes have been counted multiple times, including a hand recount, and no evidence of fraud has been found,” he said.
“The fact remains that Fulton County safely and securely carried out an election in the midst of a public health crisis,” Pitts concluded.
Former Georgia Republican Sen. Kelly Loeffler praised the judge’s decision in a statement saying the decision was made to “reassure Georgians that their voices are heard, and their votes are counted.”
BREAKING: Judge Brian Amero has granted a motion to unseal and inspect Fulton County Absentee Ballots from the 2020 election.
This is a big step toward restoring transparency and confidence in our elections.
Full statement from @GreaterGeorgia below ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/IWg8MbxDjf
— Kelly Loeffler (@KLoeffler) May 21, 2021
“Voter confidence in our election system is the bedrock of our republic. Unfortunately, inconsistencies in Fulton County’s November 2020 absentee ballots cast serious doubt on voters’ faith in our elections. An independent investigation even characterized Fulton County’s absentee ballot handling as ‘generally bad management,'” she said.
Loeffler said the integrity of future elections is “critical” and said the judge is helping to restore “transparency, accountability, and voter confidence.”