California Supreme Court rules sheriff must return seized ballots
The justices said Bianco must end the probe and return the ballots to the registrar pending Attorney General Rob Bonta’s review.
- On Thursday, the California Supreme Court ruled unanimously that Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco's seizure of more than 650,000 ballots was unlawful, ordering him to return the materials to the Riverside County Registrar immediately.
- Deputies seized the ballots in March following claims from the Riverside Election Integrity Team of a roughly 45,000-vote gap in the November 2025 Proposition 50 election, though Registrar Art Tinoco stated the actual discrepancy was only 103 votes.
- Chief Justice Patricia Guerrero wrote that the seizure violated the Elections Code, which requires ballots to remain in the custody of elections officials to prevent tampering or alteration.
- Affirming state authority, the court ruled California Attorney General Rob Bonta is entitled to a writ of mandate ordering compliance with his directions, forcing Sheriff Bianco to end the investigation.
- Gov. Gavin Newsom signed two new laws last week making it a felony to seize election materials before results are certified, expanding protections against the removal of voting machines from elections officials.
26 Articles
26 Articles
Ballot seizure by Riverside County sheriff was 'unlawful,' California Supreme Court rules
The state's high court issued a ruling Thursday on whether Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco had the authority to seize more than half a million ballots in what the former Republican candidate for governor claimed was an investigation into voter fraud.
California Supreme Court Rules Against Sheriff Bianco in Massive Election Fraud Investigation Related to Seizure of 650,000 Ballots * The Gateway Pundit * by Cristina Laila
The California Supreme Court on Thursday ruled against Riverside Sheriff Chad Bianco's massive election fraud investigation and sided with the state's far-left attorney general.
California Supreme Court orders Riverside County sheriff to return 650
FILE - Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco arrives at the Supreme Court of California for a hearing about his seizure and recount of more than half a million 2025 election ballots on Aug. 24, 2026, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Noah Berger, File)
The Desert Sun
USA TodaySheriff's seizure of ballots ruled illegal by California Supreme Court
LA Daily News
OC RegisterCalifornia Supreme Court rules against Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco in ballot seizure fight
The sheriff's seizure of 650,000-plus ballots was unlawful and AG Rob Bonta was justified in ordering him to stop probe, justices say.
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