Fulton County 2024 election: What has changed in the last 4 years

ATLANTA - Election officials in Fulton County say they have made significant changes and will once again operate a solid and safe election for the residents in Georgia's largest county.

The county opened its doors to the press as eyes across the world focus on the Peach State and other battleground states in the 2024 presidential election.

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Tour Fulton County’s Election Hub

As the presidential candidates make their final rounds in the seven battleground states, the Fulton County Board of Elections made its rounds to show journalists from all over the world that Georgia's largest county is prepared and ready for the 2024 election showdown.

"We have made a few changes since 2020. The biggest change is where we are right now. This Election Hub, I think, is the finest in the United States of America. Prior to this facility, we were spread out all over the county," Fulton Chair Robb Pitts said with authority.

The county gave tours of its new $30-million state-of-the-art Election Hub. Officials say the tabulation will go much faster this year. They will have 1,800 poll workers on hand and have vowed to have a sizable portion of the absentees and early voting results ready by 8 p.m. on election night.

"Yes, everything does came back to this location to be uploaded. Behind me are the machines that came back from the advanced voting locations. At 2 p.m. [Tuesday], we will start running the tapes for those. That way those results can be uploaded," director of Fulton County Elections and Registrations Nadine Williams proclaimed.

The memory cards will arrive by police escort from the 177 precincts to be tabulated, as they always have.

Weekend absentee ballot ruling

Republicans continue a legal fight, this time in federal court, to stop Fulton and several other counties from accepting absentee ballots received over the weekend.

A superior court judge concurred with the Georgia Secretary of State’s Office ruling the practice is legal.

The county also defended its decision to accept absentee ballots over the weekend, despite mounting lawsuits.

"The judge said Saturday morning at 8 o'clock, determined that there was nothing unlawful about having regular voters hand-deliver their absentee ballots," Elections Board Chair Sherri Allen said.

County officials say, although there has been a record advance voting period, they expect high voter turnout Tuesday as well.