ATLANTA - The director of elections in Georgia's most populous county, which has come under intense scrutiny for his handling of the elections, will resign at the end of the year, county officials said Wednesday.
Fulton County Registrar and Elections Director Rick Barron resigned, effective Dec. 31, Fulton County Board of Commissioners Chairman Robb Pitts said during a news conference. The announcement came a day after municipal elections that had short lines and few problems.
But the county, a Democratic stronghold that includes most of the city of Atlanta, has a history of electoral troubles and has long been the target of Republicans, who have complained of neglect and mismanagement. He became the favorite target of former President Donald Trump, who blamed unproven allegations of fraud in the county for his narrow loss in Georgia last year.
Barron said in his resignation letter that he will be available for the second round of the November 30 election and will support the department's transition. He has been proud of the department's accomplishments during his more than eight years at the helm, he wrote.
"Under intense scrutiny last year, I believe our team has performed with grace and professionalism," Barron wrote. "Even amid threats to our personal safety, we have continued to make the interests of the voters of Fulton County our top priority."
Pitts and Fulton County Board of Elections and Registrar Chair Cathy Woolard praised Barron when they announced his departure.
"Mr. Barron was not forced to resign," Pitts said. "I want to make that very clear. It was voluntary."
Pitts said he and Woolard had breakfast with Barron a few days ago and discussed this with "mutual consent and agreement." Barron's continued presence would be "a distraction," not because of some wrongdoing on his part, but because of "naysayers" who continue to criticize the county no matter what it does, Pitts said.
"That kind of pressure, that kind of scrutiny for so long would wear down anybody," Pitts said. "You have the former president and his henchmen, the secretary of state and his henchmen, attacking you daily."
In addition to a torrent of insults from Trump, Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger has repeatedly called for a leadership change for the Fulton County election. Assistant Secretary of State Jordan Fuchs said Wednesday the office had no comment on Barron's resignation.
After a troubled primary election in June 2020, when some Fulton County voters never received the requested absentee ballots and others waited hours in line to vote, an independent monitor was appointed as part of an agreement with the Electoral Board of the State. The monitor, Carter Jones, watched the county's election operations from October 2020 through January.
It reported that it saw "careless processes" and "systemic disorganization", but did not witness "any illegality, fraud or intentional embezzlement."
Amid a spate of criticism, the county board of elections voted in February to fire Barron, but its decision was rejected by the Board of Commissioners.
Republican state lawmakers earlier this year used a provision in the state's broad new election law to initiate a process that could ultimately result in the replacement of the Fulton County board of elections with an appointee chosen by the Republican-controlled state electoral board. A three-person review panel is currently examining the county's election operations and will provide a report of its findings to the state board.
Woolard, who joined the county board of elections in September, said interactions with the review panel have been "cordial" and said he did not know how Barron's departure would affect the review. He said a nationwide search will be conducted to find Barron's replacement, saying: "I think it will be difficult."
