Security heightened at Fulton elections warehouse after bomb threat

FULTON COUNTY, Ga. — Security has been heightened at the Fulton County elections warehouse after a man called in a bomb threat to a polling place in the county last week.

Channel 2 Investigative Reporter Nicole Carr was at the warehouse on Tuesday night, where crews were working to tabulate votes for Georgia’s crucial Senate runoff race.

Fulton County Elections director Rick Barron said a man in Tennessee called in the bomb threat last Wednesday.

“The person said that the Nashville bombing was a practice run for what we would see today at one of our polling places,” Barron said.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation visited the man and searched his home, but he was not arrested.

On Tuesday night, some county staff and election workers were confronted during ballot box locking and ballot pickup. Police were called after a two-person crew was followed to the Georgia World Congress Center and the parking deck was blocked.

[SPECIAL SECTION: Election 2020]

Due to security concerns, general public observers and poll watchers had to check in at a table flanked with security before heading inside to watch the final count.

There was also visible security stationed outside.

Workers will tabulate the final count in Fulton County in the next few days. Voter review panels will begin Tuesday night around 11 p.m. and continue into the early morning hours.

Barron said the turnout for the runoff in Fulton County was higher than it was in November. The entire election cycle is on pace to beat the general election turnout if it had not been for the holidays.

Fulton election officials work through night to deliver last-minute equipment to precincts