ATLANTA — The sudden drop in voter registrations stood out to Richard Barron, Fulton County's former elections director, when he first noticed it in February 2021.
Without explanation, the number of registration applications had dramatically declined, from 35,000 the previous February to less than 6,000 in the same month a year later. Similar decreases happened across Georgia throughout last year.
Barron suspected something had changed with Georgia's automatic registration program, which was supposed to sign up eligible voters by default at driver's licenses offices unless they opt out. He said his staff called and emailed the secretary of state's office several times but didn't find answers.
