Stephen Fowler for GPB:

The Georgia State Election Board has appointed a bipartisan three-member panel to initiate a performance review of Fulton County’s elections board, the latest step in a lengthy process allowed under a new GOP-backed state law overhauling elections.

Gwinnett County Elections Board member Stephen Day, Catoosa County Elections Board chairman Ricky Kittle and Secretary of State general counsel Ryan Germany will begin a review of Georgia’s most populous county after a number of Republican lawmakers initiated complaints about the 2020 election cycle in late July.

They will have an undetermined amount of time to “make a thorough and complete investigation of the local election official with respect to all actions of the local election official,” including maintaining election equipment, oversight of registration and elections and compliance with state law. The investigation process will likely take several months. 

Presumably, this review board would also look into the numerous allegations made about Fulton County’s elections, from unfounded claims of fraud to more concrete examples of problems with the voting process that did not affect the outcome of the election.

From there, a report will be issued to the Secretary of State’s office, the State Election Board and the Fulton County Commission with its findings, which will include “evaluations, judgments and recommendations as it deems appropriate.”

After the report is finished, the panel ultimately could recommend Fulton’s bipartisan elections board be suspended and replaced by a temporary superintendent with the authority to make many elections decisions, including staffing and polling place choices — but that outcome is unlikely.