ATLANTA — Fulton County officials are pushing back against last week’s FBI raid on the county’s elections office, as concerns grow over President Trump’s calls to “nationalize” elections.

Fulton County Commission Chairman Robb Pitts says he believes the seizure of election documents is part of a broader effort to shift control of elections to the federal government.

“This is about democracy. The constitution is crystal clear; states run elections,” Pitts said. “Not the Congress and not the White House.”

President Trump has said at least 15 states are on his mind as he continues to push for federal control of elections. Pitts says that list concerns him, especially following the FBI’s actions in Fulton County.

“Others should be concerned that they’re on that list, because if they’re successful here then who’s next? That’s why this is so important,” Pitts said.

Pitts says he is certain Georgia would be among the states targeted.

“I’m certain that we will be at the top of that list,” he said.

A White House spokesperson says the president was referring to the need for a national voter ID requirement when he called on Republicans to “nationalize the voting.”

Fulton County has filed a motion in federal court demanding the return of ballots and other election documents seized from the 2020 election, as well as access to the affidavit tied to the raid.

Pitts says the idea of nationalizing elections is alarming.

“That is scary. It’s frightening, and we will do everything to ensure that that doesn’t happen,” he said.

The county is asking a judge to order the federal government to return the seized documents as the legal challenge moves forward.

WSB Radio’s Jonathan O’Brien contributed to this story.