
Fulton County’s admission of procedural violations involving over 315,000 ballots from the 2020 election has reignited fierce debate about Georgia’s election integrity, but the facts tell a dramatically different story than the headlines suggest.
Story Overview
- Fulton County acknowledged unsigned tabulator tapes for 315,000+ ballots, not illegal vote counting
- The issue involved procedural documentation errors, not fraudulent or missing votes
- Multiple recounts and audits confirmed Georgia’s original 2020 election results
- State officials characterized this as administrative rule violation, not statutory crime
The Paperwork Problem That Sparked Outrage
Fulton County officials acknowledged that approximately 130 tabulator tapes from early in-person voting lacked required signatures from election workers. These unsigned documents were associated with more than 315,000 ballots cast during the 2020 election. The admission came during recent proceedings, four years after the election concluded with Joe Biden winning Georgia by 11,779 votes.
The missing signatures represent a violation of Georgia election rules requiring proper documentation procedures. However, tabulator tapes serve as supplemental records, not the primary vote count mechanism. The actual votes were recorded through multiple redundant systems including encrypted memory cards and centralized tabulation processes that remained intact throughout the controversy.
What Documentation Errors Actually Mean
Election officials distinguish between procedural violations and vote fraud allegations. The unsigned tapes indicate administrative failures in following proper documentation protocols, not evidence that votes were altered, fabricated, or illegally counted. Georgia’s voting systems create multiple verification layers that operate independently of tabulator tape signatures, ensuring vote integrity even when paperwork procedures fail.
State Election Board members referred the matter to the Attorney General for possible administrative sanctions against responsible officials. This standard procedure addresses rule violations without invalidating the underlying votes or election results. The referral represents accountability for procedural failures rather than evidence supporting fraud claims that would overturn election outcomes.
Georgia’s Verification Systems Withstood Scrutiny
Georgia conducted an unprecedented full statewide hand recount of all presidential ballots following the 2020 election. This audit-level verification process confirmed Biden’s victory margin within statistical expectations. Subsequently, the state performed additional machine recounts that again validated the original results, demonstrating the reliability of multiple verification systems beyond tabulator documentation.
Federal and state courts rejected dozens of lawsuits challenging Georgia’s election procedures and results. These judicial reviews examined evidence standards, procedural compliance, and constitutional requirements before upholding the certification. The unsigned tabulator tapes, while representing clear rule violations, did not meet legal thresholds for invalidating certified election results under Georgia law.
Sources:
Fulton County: 315k Votes Lacking Sign-Off Counted in ’20 – RealClearPolitics
Raffensberger Says 2020 Election Blunder – AOL












