California Supreme Court Orders Sheriff to Return Over 650,000 Seized Ballots

Court rules sheriff unlawfully seized ballots, orders return. Election law violation confirmed.

September 25, 2026 One Min Read

POLICY WIRE — Riverside, California — The California Supreme Court has ruled that Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco violated election laws by seizing more than 650,000 ballots related to the Proposition 50 special election.

The court’s unanimous decision in two cases found that Bianco overstepped his authority by ignoring directives from Attorney General Rob Bonta and conducting an investigation into alleged election fraud. The ruling mandates that the ballots be returned to county officials and that Bianco cease all further handling of them except as required by the order.

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Bianco had claimed his actions were part of a fact-finding mission after a local group raised concerns about a discrepancy in reported votes. However, the court emphasized that election laws clearly state voted ballots must remain under the control of election officials. The case drew significant attention, with legal challenges from Bonta and the UCLA Voting Rights Project, and sparked widespread criticism from local leaders and election officials.

Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)

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