CAN 2026 CASE FILE

FBI Search and Seizure of 2020 Election Materials

Fulton County, Georgia | January 2026

Case Status: Published
Lifecycle Completed: Phase 0 (Intake), Phase 1 (Research Expansion), Phase 2 (Oversight Mapping)
Last Verified Update: February 6, 2026

I. EVENT SUMMARY (FACTS ONLY)

On January 28, 2026, the Federal Bureau of Investigation executed a court-authorized search warrant at a Fulton County election facility in Georgia and seized materials related to the 2020 general election. Publicly available copies of the warrant list ballots, tabulator tapes, ballot images, and voter rolls among the categories authorized for seizure. Fulton County subsequently challenged the seizure in federal court, seeking the return of the materials and the unsealing of the affidavit supporting the warrant.¹ ²

II. TIMELINE OF DOCUMENTED EVENTS

October 30, 2025
The U.S. Department of Justice sent a written demand letter to Fulton County election officials requesting production of 2020 election records pursuant to federal election record-retention statutes.³

November 21, 2025
The U.S. Department of Justice sent a written demand letter to the Fulton County Clerk requesting production of election records.⁴

December 11, 2025
The Department of Justice filed a civil action in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia seeking a court order compelling production of election records.⁵

January 28, 2026
A U.S. Magistrate Judge issued a federal search warrant authorizing seizure of specified 2020 election materials.⁶
The FBI executed the warrant at a Fulton County election facility and removed election materials.¹

February 4, 2026 (reported)
Fulton County filed a motion in federal court seeking return of the seized materials and unsealing of the affidavit supporting the warrant. The filing was reported as under seal.² ⁷

III. SEARCH WARRANT DETAILS (PUBLICLY AVAILABLE)

Court: U.S. District Court, Northern District of Georgia
Judicial Officer: U.S. Magistrate Judge Catherine M. Salinas
Case Type: Miscellaneous warrant matter
Warrant Date: January 28, 2026
Affidavit Status: Sealed (as of February 6, 2026)

Items Authorized for Seizure (as listed on the warrant)

• Physical ballots from the 2020 general election, including absentee, provisional, early voting, election-day, emergency, damaged, duplicated, and other ballots used to cast votes

• Tabulator tapes, including zero tapes, opening tapes, closing tapes, and other machine-generated records

• Ballot images produced during the original count and recount of the 2020 election

• Voter rolls and related election participation records⁶

IV. RELATED LEGAL PROCEEDINGS

A. DOJ Civil Enforcement Action

Case: United States of America v. Ché Alexander, Clerk of Courts for Fulton County
Court: U.S. District Court, Northern District of Georgia
Filed: December 11, 2025
Nature of Action: DOJ sought a court order compelling production of election records under federal election record-retention statutes.⁵

The DOJ filings reference written demands sent in October and November 2025 and seek judicial enforcement of those demands.³ ⁴ ⁵

B. Post-Search Challenge by Fulton County

Filing: Motion seeking return of seized property and unsealing of the warrant affidavit
Filed: February 4, 2026 (reported)
Status: Reported as filed under seal
Public Ruling Located: None as of February 6, 2026² ⁷

V. OVERSIGHT AUTHORITY AND ACTIONS

A. Federal Judiciary

Authority

• Issuance of federal search warrants

• Adjudication of civil enforcement actions

• Review of post-search motions for return of property

Documented Actions

• Issuance of a federal search warrant on January 28, 2026⁶

• Reported receipt of a post-search challenge by Fulton County on February 4, 2026²

Not Publicly Located

• Unsealed affidavit supporting the warrant

• Public ruling on the return-of-property motion

• Public inventory detailing items actually seized

Status: 🟡 Partial oversight visible

B. Department of Justice (Executive Branch)

Authority

• Enforcement of federal election record-retention laws

• Supervision of federal law enforcement actions

Documented Actions

• Written demand letters issued October 30 and November 21, 2025³ ⁴

• Civil enforcement action filed December 11, 2025⁵

• Authorization and execution of a criminal search warrant on January 28, 2026¹ ⁶

Not Publicly Located

• Public DOJ explanation reconciling civil enforcement and criminal search routes

• Internal DOJ supervisory approvals or review memoranda

• Public guidance regarding custody, review, or return of seized materials

Status: 🟡 Partial oversight visible

C. Federal Bureau of Investigation

Authority

• Execution of federal search warrants

Documented Actions

• Execution of the January 28, 2026 search warrant at a Fulton County election facility¹

Not Publicly Located

• Itemized inventory of seized materials

• Chain-of-custody documentation

• Public operational report regarding the seizure

Status: 🟡 Partial oversight visible

D. U.S. House of Representatives

Authority

• Oversight of DOJ and FBI

• Oversight of federal election administration

Documented Actions

• Public statements by at least one House member requesting DOJ briefings following the seizure⁸

Not Publicly Located

• Committee-level hearings

• Committee subpoenas or letters

• Committee reports specific to this event

Status: 🟡 Partial oversight visible

E. U.S. Senate

Authority

• Oversight of DOJ and FBI

• Oversight of federal elections

Documented Actions

• None publicly located specific to this event as of February 6, 2026

Status: 🔴 No oversight publicly located

VI. DOCUMENTATION GAPS (EXPLICIT)

As of February 6, 2026, the following records were not publicly available:

• The sealed affidavit supporting the January 28, 2026 search warrant

• A public inventory of seized election materials

• A public ruling on the return-of-property motion

• Committee-level congressional oversight records specific to this seizure

Unknowns are recorded explicitly and without inference.

VII. SOURCE INDEX (LABELED LINKS)

1. Reuters — Reporting on the FBI execution of the search warrant and seizure of election materials
   https://www.reuters.com/world/us/fbi-executing-search-warrant-election-office-georgia-related-2020-vote-fox-news-2026-01-28/

2. Reuters — Reporting on Fulton County’s court challenge and request for return of materials
   https://www.reuters.com/world/us/georgias-fulton-county-challenges-seizure-election-records-2026-02-04/

3. DOJ Civil Filing — Demand letter referenced in DOJ memorandum (October 30, 2025)
   https://www.democracydocket.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/2-1-2025-12-11-DOJs-memorandum-of-law-in-support-of-motion-to-compel-production-of-records.pdf

4. DOJ Civil Filing — Demand letter referenced in DOJ memorandum (November 21, 2025)
   https://www.democracydocket.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/2-1-2025-12-11-DOJs-memorandum-of-law-in-support-of-motion-to-compel-production-of-records.pdf

5. United States v. Ché Alexander — DOJ civil complaint, Northern District of Georgia
   https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.gand.353067/gov.uscourts.gand.353067.1.0.pdf

6. Federal Search Warrant (Public Copy) — Northern District of Georgia, January 28, 2026
   https://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/26513986/1-28-26-fulton-warrant.pdf

7. CBS News Atlanta — Reporting on Fulton County’s sealed Rule 41(g) motion
   https://www.cbsnews.com/atlanta/news/fulton-county-asks-federal-judge-to-return-2020-election-records-seized-by-fbi/

8. U.S. House Press Release — Member request for DOJ briefing following the seizure
   https://mcbath.house.gov/press-releases?id=707FFB70-0190-4504-9188-0B9431EED76A

This case file was created by CAN 2026 and follows strict evidentiary and neutrality standards. All facts are verified using three-source methodology. No advocacy, motive attribution, or legal conclusions are included.