Final Report
If you are interested in reading our final report detailing the metrics for each category of our campaign, you can download it here!
What are Incident Reports?
During November’s election, 60 Georgia Tech students and partners from the social impact consultancy, The BLK+Cross, spent three days closely watching social media traffic focused on the Fulton County electoral environment. We read nearly 30,000 carefully curated posts to X, Facebook, Truth Social, Instagram, and TikTok sent from November 4-6. An artificial intelligence created by Georgia Tech students helped us classify and respond to a constant onslaught of content. From these social media posts, we created 187 incidents arising from serious material we felt deserved fact-checking and response. Of those incidents, 30 were escalated to our field community partners, independent non-partisan election observers, and other stakeholders who could take positive action.
Our takeaway from this experience: online political discourse centered on Fulton County elections, and elections overall, is a cesspool of lies and hate negatively impacting our politics and community. This includes a lot of disproved claims about the 2020 election (“Fulton County has 300,000 missing ballots”) and the 2024 election (“[fraudulently marked ballots] still in boxes in some van in Fulton County”). Georgia Tech is researching social and technical methods to enhance our resilience, while with The BLK+Cross and other partners, we continue to explore conversation-based methods for gathering cultural intelligence and storytelling, and develop training and literacy-building approaches, especially targeting the most at-risk communities.
All Detailed Escalation Reports From November 2024 Campaign
- VERIFIED FALSE – Fulton County will double scan ballots for Candidate Harris
The SMTC picked up claims that Fulton County would double scan ballots for VP Harris. The SMTC investigated this claim and found it to be false, misinformation. Election stakeholders explain that all Fulton County election workers have been trained on SOS procedures and that the absentee ballot scanning process is open to observers.There are systems… Read more: VERIFIED FALSE – Fulton County will double scan ballots for Candidate Harris - VERIFIED FALSE – Multiple Voters Registered Illegally at USPS, UPS, FedEx Store in Fulton CountyA social media post claimed that voter rolls are not clean in Fulton County by showing a step by step process to filter the Fulton County voter roll for voters registered at the same UPS and FedEx store. The post fails to mention that unhoused may use a PO Box as a voter address. Further,… Read more: VERIFIED FALSE – Multiple Voters Registered Illegally at USPS, UPS, FedEx Store in Fulton County
- VERIFIED TRUE – Georgia Voters With Absentee Ballots Should Drop-Off Absentee Ballots In PersonOn October 30th the Georgia Secretary of State announced that Georgians with absentee ballots should not put them in the mail but instead drop them off in-person. Fulton County concurs and directs votes with absentee ballots to drop them off at their election offices on Monday or Tuesday or at early voting locations with drop… Read more: VERIFIED TRUE – Georgia Voters With Absentee Ballots Should Drop-Off Absentee Ballots In Person
- VERIFIED FALSE – Haitians are double voting in Fulton County and other parts of GeorgiaOn Thursday, October 31st a video was posted on X with a man claiming to have moved from Haiti to the United States 6 months ago with several Georgia driver’s licenses and are voting in multiple counties across Georgia, including Fulton County. The Georgia Secretary of State has verified this incident as false, saying, “This… Read more: VERIFIED FALSE – Haitians are double voting in Fulton County and other parts of Georgia
- VERIFIED FALSE – Fulton County has rigged poll watchers to be 98.1% DemocraticA narrative has emerged on social media that Fulton County is rigging the election by having 98.1% Democrat “poll watchers”. The claim cites a recent lawsuit not related to poll watchers but to hiring of poll workers. Poll workers are not asked about their party or political affiliations during the hiring process.
- VERIFIED FALSE – 4 Suspicious Semi Trucks Spotted Behind Ballot Drop Off in Fulton CountyOn Saturday, November 2nd reports on social media claimed that semi-trailer trucks were spotted behind Fulton County ballot drop off locations–specifically the Fulton County Elections Hub. Trucks should not be seen as suspicious, as they are used to return voting equipment used during advanced voting and to deliver equipment to the polls for Election Day.
- VERIFIED FALSE – It is illegal for Georgia Counties to Accept Absentee Ballots Drop Off Over the Weekend
- VERIFIED TRUE – Republican Poll Observers Were Initially Denied Access to County Election Offices During Extended Drop Off on November 2, 2024Fulton County initially denied Republican poll observers at county election offices during the extended drop off period the weekend of November 2-3, 2024. Fulton County elections leadership has clarified with all staff that observers are permitted to watch the absentee ballot return process. Fulton County did alert the monitoring group contracted by Fulton County, and… Read more: VERIFIED TRUE – Republican Poll Observers Were Initially Denied Access to County Election Offices During Extended Drop Off on November 2, 2024
- VERIFIED FALSE – Fulton County Will Not Allow Anyone To Watch Ballot Drop BoxesThere continues to be confusion about absentee ballot drop off and poll observation. After the passage of SB 202, drop boxes are only available inside early voting locations and during hours of operation. Registered poll watchers can observe advanced voting centers–where drop boxes are located–if they present themselves to poll workers. Poll workers are required… Read more: VERIFIED FALSE – Fulton County Will Not Allow Anyone To Watch Ballot Drop Boxes
- VERIFIED FALSE – Georgia Supreme Court Reverses Fulton County Judge who ruled that Fulton Cannot Count Absentee Ballots Collected After The End of Early VotingOn November 4th, a Georgia Supreme Court Judge overturned Cobb County Judge’s ruling that would allow an extension of absentee ballot drop off deadline due to the county’s late mailing of absentee ballots. There is misinformation that this ruling is related to Fulton County and the absentee ballots received over the weekend of Nov 2-3.… Read more: VERIFIED FALSE – Georgia Supreme Court Reverses Fulton County Judge who ruled that Fulton Cannot Count Absentee Ballots Collected After The End of Early Voting
- VERIFIED FALSE – Fulton failed to send military absentee ballots overseasA social media post claimed that Fulton County did not send absentee ballots to military members overseas. Fulton County has confirmed that they did send absentee ballots to the military that requested them and provided documentation of the summary counts of military members’ absentee ballots received.
- VERIFIED FALSE – Only 15 of Fulton County’s 804 Poll Workers are Republican6:15 PM – Fulton County nor their staffing agency considers political affiliation when hiring poll workers. The Fulton County Republican Party did submit a list of Republican applicants to be poll workers to Fulton County, all of which were asked to apply. 15 of their submitted applicants were hired, but this does not mean that… Read more: VERIFIED FALSE – Only 15 of Fulton County’s 804 Poll Workers are Republican
- VERIFIED TRUE – GA Supreme Court Overturns Cobb County Judge Ruling For Emergency Motion To Extend Cobb County Voting Pass Election Day6:22 PM – A Georgia Supreme Court Judge overturned a Cobb County’s Judges ruling from November 1st that allowed Cobb County voters with absentee ballots an extension to drop off absentee ballots by 5 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 8, as long as they were postmarked by 7 p.m. on Election Day, Nov. 5. This ruling… Read more: VERIFIED TRUE – GA Supreme Court Overturns Cobb County Judge Ruling For Emergency Motion To Extend Cobb County Voting Pass Election Day
- VERIFIED FALSE – Fulton County Illegally Counted Ballots Over the Weekend6:29 PM – Many reports on social media claim that Fulton County illegally counted votes over the weekend. Vote counting, also known as vote tabulation, does not begin until Tuesday November 5th. Fulton County was pre-processing ballots to prepare them for tabulation on Tuesday, November 5th. Ballots were run through scanners but no results are… Read more: VERIFIED FALSE – Fulton County Illegally Counted Ballots Over the Weekend
- VERIFIED FALSE – Fulton County Will Not Be Transparent with Ballot Images and Cast Votes8:40 PM – Social media posts are raising false claims about Fulton County’s lack of transparency related to releasing ballot images and cast votes. These claims are based on the Coalition for Good Governance (CGG) request for ballot images and cast votes no later than Wednesday, November 6th. According to Georgia Code, documents shall be… Read more: VERIFIED FALSE – Fulton County Will Not Be Transparent with Ballot Images and Cast Votes
- VERIFIED TRUE – Fulton county allows the public to observe vote tabulation9:21 PM – Social media posts claim that the general public can observe vote tabulation. According to Georgia law, all proceedings at the tabulating center and precincts shall be open to the view of the public, but no person except one employed and designated for the purpose by the superintendent or the superintendent’s authorized deputy… Read more: VERIFIED TRUE – Fulton county allows the public to observe vote tabulation
- VERIFIED FALSE – Fulton County Polls Close at 5:00 PM on November 5th9:30 PM – There was an incorrect claim on social media that the Georgia Supreme Court ruled that polls close at 5:00 PM in Fulton County. This is false and is a misinterpretation of the ruling related to Cobb County. Polls are open from 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM in Georgia. As long as you… Read more: VERIFIED FALSE – Fulton County Polls Close at 5:00 PM on November 5th
- VERIFIED TRUE – 5 Non-Credible Bomb Threats in Fulton County10:39 AM – This morning, Fulton County School Police received information indicating that several schools were allegedly going to receive bomb threats around 8:15 am. Sweeps were performed and no evidence of any explosive devices were found. As of 10:00 am, all polling locations are reported to now be secure.
- VERIFIED TRUE – Fulton County will obtain a court order to extend voting hours at 2 locations where voting was halted to perform bomb sweep10:50 AM – Due to bomb threats, voting was halted at two polling locations in Fulton County, Etris-Darnell Senior Center and C.H. Gullatt Elementary School. For this reason, Fulton County will obtain a court order to extend voting hours. Voting hours will be extended based on the police report’s description of how long these locations… Read more: VERIFIED TRUE – Fulton County will obtain a court order to extend voting hours at 2 locations where voting was halted to perform bomb sweep
- VERIFIED FALSE – Fulton County Only Has 12 Republican Poll Watchers1:44 PM – A social media post claimed Republicans have poll watchers at “12 out of 50+ polling places in Fulton Co.” Monitoring groups confirm an average of 2 Republican poll watchers observed at polling locations visited. Note: This is similar to other verified false claims about poll watchers and poll workers. VERIFIED FALSE –… Read more: VERIFIED FALSE – Fulton County Only Has 12 Republican Poll Watchers
- VERIFIED TRUE – Voter Turned Away For Wearing Campaign Gear2:03 PM – Today, a Georgia voter reported being turned away from her polling location for wearing campaign gear. It is true that it is against Georgia law to wear campaign gear to vote at a polling location. Voters wearing campaign gear will not be allowed to vote. Similar reports were collected during early voting… Read more: VERIFIED TRUE – Voter Turned Away For Wearing Campaign Gear
- VERIFIED TRUE – Fulton County’s Non-Credible Bomb Threats Were Called in By a Foreign State Actor2:35 PM – In a press conference today, Georgia Secretary of State, Brad Raffensperger, announced in a press conference that foreign state actors, specifically Russians, were behind the non-credible bomb threats.
- VERIFIED TRUE – Federal Judge Rejects Lawsuit Against Fulton County (+ 6 Additional Counties) Requesting Counties Reject Hand-Delivered Absentee Ballots5:45 PM – Absentee ballots dropped off in-person after the end of early voting will be counted after Federal Judge Stan Baker ruled against the Georgia Republican Party and the Republican National Committee (RNC) who filed a lawsuit against seven counties (Fulton, Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Gwinnett, Chatham and Athens-Clarke), alleging these counties illegally accepted ballots… Read more: VERIFIED TRUE – Federal Judge Rejects Lawsuit Against Fulton County (+ 6 Additional Counties) Requesting Counties Reject Hand-Delivered Absentee Ballots
- VERIFIED FALSE – Georgia Poll Watcher Arrested for Bomb Threats, Not Russia6:15 PM – Social media posts are conflating two unrelated incidents pertaining to bomb threats in Georgia. One is related to a poll worker in Jones County, Georgia who was arrested for a bomb threat. The other incident is related to Georgia counties (including Fulton County) that received non-credible bomb threats, which the FBI and… Read more: VERIFIED FALSE – Georgia Poll Watcher Arrested for Bomb Threats, Not Russia
- VERIFIED TRUE – 5 Fulton County Polling Locations Will Have Extended Voting Hours6:30 PM – The Georgia Secretary of State announced the five locations in Fulton County that will have extended voting hours. The five locations with their vote closure time are listed below: Etris Community Center (Open until 7:45 p.m.) Gullatt Elementary (Open until 7:15 p.m.) Southwest Arts Center (Open until 7:43 p.m.) Northwood Elementary School… Read more: VERIFIED TRUE – 5 Fulton County Polling Locations Will Have Extended Voting Hours
- VERIFIED TRUE – Fulton County Received 32 Bomb Threats on Election Day8:10 PM – In a Press Conference on Tuesday evening, the Fulton County Police Chief, Wade Yates, reported 32 bomb threats throughout the county. Some were called in to the locations or to 911 and some were emailed. 27 were resolved quickly. 5 required investigation that did halt voting temporarily.
- UNVERIFIABLE CLAIM – 10-Piece Lemon Pepper Hot Wings Giveaway to Voters in Fulton County10:45 AM – Yesterday, the SMTC picked up a claim that in-person voters would receive free 10-piece lemon pepper hot wings for voting. There was no evidence to substantiate such a claim and no observation of this by monitoring teams in the field.
- VERIFIED FALSE – There Are New Reports of Aliens Near Roswell11:00 AM – Despite numerous claims from members of X’s Election Integrity community, that aliens are appearing near Roswell, no claims can be verified by trusted sources.
- VERIFIED TRUE – Mis/Disinformation is a Threat to Our Democracy12:00 PM – A report by The National Security Council found that Russia’s cyber efforts and online actors were able to influence public perceptions and sought to amplify mistrust in the electoral process. In the 2022 election cycle, the rampant spread of claims around the “Big Lie” by candidates running in states like New Mexico, Alabama,… Read more: VERIFIED TRUE – Mis/Disinformation is a Threat to Our Democracy
Archived Escalated Incident Posts, Nov. 4-6, 2024
Want to help out but you’re not sure how? Download our Social Media Toolkit and our incident posts below. The Toolkit includes our social media handles, templates, and some best practices of how to use them.
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