California sheriff ordered to return ballots he confiscated in voter ‘fraud’ inquiry
Summary
The California Supreme Court ruled that Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco must return about 650,000 ballots he took during an investigation of alleged voting fraud in a 2025 special election. The court said only election officials have legal control over voted ballots, and Bianco’s seizure was unlawful.Key Facts
- Sheriff Chad Bianco seized around 650,000 ballots from a 2025 special election on congressional redistricting.
- The special election measure passed by a wide margin both statewide and in Riverside County.
- The California Supreme Court unanimously ruled that Bianco’s seizure of ballots was illegal.
- California law requires ballots to stay with election officials, even during criminal investigations.
- Governor Gavin Newsom signed a new law preventing future ballot seizures like this one.
- Bianco began the investigation after a local group complained about the election results, but election officials said the complaint was groundless.
- Democratic Attorney General Rob Bonta sued and ordered the ballots returned, but Bianco initially refused.
- The case is being watched closely amid wider concerns about election fraud claims linked to President Donald Trump and his allies.
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