California Supreme Court Urged to Intervene in Riverside County Ballot Seizure Controversy
The UCLA Voting Rights Project and former California Attorney General Xavier Becerra are urging the California Supreme Court to instruct the Riverside County Sheriff to return over 650,000 seized election ballots to the Riverside County Registrar of Voters. The ballots were confiscated by Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, who is also a gubernatorial candidate, due to alleged discrepancies in the November 2025 special election for Proposition 50. Bianco's actions have sparked criticism from state officials, questioning the basis of the investigation and its potential impact on public trust.
Bianco claimed that a review of handwritten logs from the registrar's office revealed a discrepancy of 45,896 votes between the number of ballots cast and the votes reported and certified to the state. The Riverside County Registrar of Voters addressed this inconsistency in a report presented to the Board of Supervisors during a meeting on February 10. California Secretary of State Shirley Weber expressed concerns about the lack of credible evidence supporting the allegations and the potential negative effects on public confidence in elections.
Former Attorney General Xavier Becerra condemned Bianco's seizure of the ballots, emphasizing the importance of protecting voter ballots from tampering. Becerra, who is also an adviser to the UCLA Voting Rights Project, criticized Bianco's actions as a violation of California election laws and lacking credible evidence. In response, Bianco defended the investigation as lawful and accused Democratic candidates of politicizing the issue for their own gain.
Despite the California Attorney General's Office's request to halt the recount of ballots from the 2025 special election, the 4th District Court of Appeal, Division 2, denied the request. The Attorney General's Office clarified that the denial was based on procedural grounds and not on the merits of the petition. The office is now considering the next steps to ensure a prompt and appropriate resolution to the matter.
In conclusion, the dispute over the seized election ballots in Riverside County has escalated, with conflicting perspectives from law enforcement officials and state authorities. The legal battle surrounding the recount of ballots from the 2025 special election continues, raising concerns about the integrity of the electoral process and the role of law enforcement in election-related matters.