Georgia’s most populous county, a Democratic stronghold that includes most of Atlanta, faces a high-stakes test in Tuesday’s municipal elections, with some Republicans itching for a state takeover using a sweeping new law.
Struggles to deliver a smooth voting process during the early months of the coronavirus pandemic trained a national spotlight on Fulton County. That only intensified as former President Donald Trump and his allies pushed unproven claims that widespread fraud robbed him of victory last year.
Against that backdrop, GOP state lawmakers empowered the Republican-controlled State Election Board to remove local election officials. Democrats said the provision was written with Fulton in mind, and Republicans soon launched a state review that could result in the replacement of the Democrat-controlled county election board with the state board’s appointee.
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