ATLANTA — Fulton County Elections Director Richard Barron plans to resign at the end of the year.
Chairman of the County's Board of Commissioners Robb Pitts and County Election Board Chair Cathy Woolard made the announcement in a news conference on Wednesday afternoon, stating they have received his resignation letter, just a day after the mayoral election.
Barron's resignation comes amidst a months-long debate after Georgia's election faced major criticism. Barron came under scrutiny back in June of 2020 while overseeing a dysfunctional primary. There were issues with voting machines at some polling locations, while some voters stood in long lines for hours.
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He was once again in the spotlight during the contentious November 2020 election, when workers were forced to rescan ballots under supervision from both parties.
Georgia's election became a focal point of former President Donald Trump's false claims about election integrity as he claimed that now-President Joe Biden's win was not legitimate. It was thoroughly accounted for by state officials, but became a strain on Fulton's election system, with some poll workers, and Barron, facing harassment and threats.
The fate of Barron's role has been up in the air ever since. The Registration and Elections Board first held a vote against Barron in February of 2021, which was later ruled "invalid" because it was taken in a private session.
About a week later, the board voted to remove Barron again on Feb. 16. The move, however, did not get the support necessary from county commissioners to move forward and he was back on the job the next day.
Commissioners were then at a standstill on the decision to keep or fire Barron from the position. Weeks later, they settled on retaining him following a majority vote in his favor. At the time, Commissioner Khadijah Abdur-Rahman said the move put an end to the confusion about the future of Barron's position.
Now, Barron has decided to step down, as of Dec. 31. Both Pitts and Woolard praised Barron, saying they hold him in high regard.
"I know that he was a true professional, but politics interfered with him and his job," Pitts said.
Pitts stressed Barron was not forced to resign, and instead made a voluntary decision.
The county will now begin a nationwide search for a new elections director.
The Georgia Secretary of State's Office said its review of the Fulton County elections office and its problems will continue.