This story is part of ABC News’ monthlong series “Protecting Your Vote,” profiling people across the country who are dedicated to ensuring the integrity of the voting process.
In the aftermath of the 2020 presidential election, arguably no state became as central to former President Donald Trump’s efforts to overturn his election loss as Georgia — the state Joe Biden stunningly won by just over 11,000 votes, flipping it blue for the first time in nearly three decades.
Now, four years later, election officials in the state are preparing for another high-stakes election — this time under the cloud of threats, conspiracy theories, and distrust in the system.
MORE: DOJ task force, formed in 2021 to fight election threats, has brought only 20 cases
That reality has permeated even the deepest Republican regions. In Paulding County, Georgia — a rock-solid Republican county just outside Atlanta — election workers are training to prepare for the worst: screaming voters, deadly packages, or active shooters.