Trending Now - California Sheriff Takes Over 650,000 Ballots Amid Election Controversy
WHO:
Sheriff Chad Bianco held a news conference on March 20th, 2026, regarding the investigation.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta has sent letters to Bianco’s office over the last two months.
Sheriff Chad Bianco, a Republican, is running for governor in California.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta, a Democrat, has criticized Bianco's actions.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta, a Democrat, criticized Sheriff Chad Bianco's actions as "unprecedented."
A local citizens group filed a complaint prompting Bianco's investigation.
Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, a GOP gubernatorial candidate
Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco
California state officials
WHAT:
Bianco stated, “This investigation is simple: Physically count the ballots and compare that result with the total votes reported,” during the news conference.
The measure to redraw congressional district lines passed in Riverside County by a margin of over 80,000 votes.
Bianco stated, “I have a duty to investigate alleged crime in Riverside County.”
Bianco's investigation was initiated after a complaint from a local citizens group regarding the ballot count from the November 2025 special election.
The measure to redraw congressional district lines passed by a margin of over 80,000 votes in Riverside County.
Sheriff Chad Bianco stated that the investigation had “absolutely nothing to do” with his campaign for governor.
Bianco described the effort as “a fact-finding mission.”
The measure to redraw congressional district lines in the November 2025 special election passed by a margin of over 80,000 votes.
Bianco indicated that the count of the seized ballots had started and stopped, but would now resume under the supervision of a special master appointed by a judge.
Bianco seized nearly 1,000 boxes of ballots and election materials from the county’s elections office with a warrant in February 2026.
The alleged discrepancy reported by the citizens group amounted to about 45,800 votes.
Bianco stated, “This investigation is simple: Physically count the ballots and compare that result with the total votes reported.”
Sheriff Chad Bianco stated he will physically recount the seized ballots from the November 2025 special election.
Sheriff Chad Bianco seized over 650,000 ballots
The seizure was conducted to probe alleged excess votes in California's Proposition 50 special election
WHERE:
The ballots were seized from Riverside County's elections office.
Riverside County, California
WHEN:
The special election occurred on November 2025.
The investigation was launched after a complaint was received in early 2026.
The events occurred in 2026
WHY:
Bonta described the ballot seizure as “unacceptable” and “sets a dangerous precedent and will only sow distrust in our elections.”
The investigation was initiated following a complaint from a local citizens group regarding the ballot count from the November 2025 special election focused on redistricting.
Bianco's investigation was initiated due to a complaint regarding a discrepancy between handwritten ballot intake logs and the number of votes reported to the state.
Bianco is investigating a ballot count discrepancy related to the November 2025 special election.
The seizure was motivated by allegations of excess votes in the election
HOW:
Bianco indicated that the count of the seized ballots had started and stopped, but would now resume under the supervision of a special master appointed by a judge.
Bianco's office seized nearly 1,000 boxes of ballots and election materials from the county’s elections office with a warrant in February 2026.
The count of the seized ballots had started and stopped, but will now resume under the supervision of a special master appointed by a judge.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta has sent letters to Bianco’s office over the last two months stating that his staff is not qualified to conduct a recount.
The seizure of ballots was conducted under a warrant issued in February 2026.
The method of seizure involved law enforcement action by Sheriff Chad Bianco
(UPDATED March 23, 2026 13:31 UTC)
Sheriff Chad Bianco held a news conference last Monday to discuss the ongoing investigation into the ballot seizure, emphasizing the need to physically count the ballots and compare them with the reported totals. California Attorney General Rob Bonta has expressed serious concerns about the situation, calling the ballot seizure "unacceptable" and warning that it could undermine trust in the electoral process. Bianco also noted that the counting of the seized ballots, which had previously been halted, will now continue under the oversight of a special master appointed by a judge.
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(UPDATED March 23, 2026 09:20 UTC)
Sheriff Chad Bianco, a Republican, has announced his candidacy for governor in California, while Attorney General Rob Bonta, a Democrat, has criticized Bianco's recent actions regarding an investigation into the November 2025 special election. Bianco stated that he has a duty to investigate alleged crime in Riverside County, following a complaint from a local citizens group about the ballot count for a measure that passed by over 80,000 votes. His office seized nearly 1,000 boxes of ballots and election materials from the county’s elections office in February, and while the counting of these ballots had been paused, it will now resume under the supervision of a special master appointed by a judge.
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(UPDATED March 22, 2026 23:17 UTC)
Sheriff Chad Bianco has clarified that the ongoing investigation into the ballot count from the November 2025 special election is unrelated to his campaign for governor, describing it as a "fact-finding mission." He noted that the count of the seized ballots, which had previously been paused, will now continue under the supervision of a special master appointed by a judge. This investigation was prompted by a complaint from a local citizens group, and California Attorney General Rob Bonta has expressed concerns about the qualifications of Bianco's staff to conduct the recount.
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(UPDATED March 22, 2026 21:11 UTC)
California Attorney General Rob Bonta has criticized Sheriff Chad Bianco's actions as "unprecedented" after Bianco seized nearly 1,000 boxes of ballots and election materials from Riverside County's elections office, following a complaint from a local citizens group about a discrepancy of approximately 45,800 votes. The investigation was launched earlier this year, prompted by concerns over differences between handwritten ballot intake logs and the reported vote totals from a special election held in November 2025. Bianco stated that the goal of the investigation is straightforward: to physically count the ballots and compare that result with the total votes reported.
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(UPDATED March 22, 2026 19:12 UTC)
Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, who is also a GOP gubernatorial candidate, announced that he will physically recount the seized ballots from the November 2025 special election. This decision comes as Bianco investigates a discrepancy in the ballot count related to that election. The recount aims to address concerns raised about the accuracy of the election results.
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(UPDATED March 22, 2026 17:17 UTC)
In Riverside County, California, Sheriff Chad Bianco has seized over 650,000 ballots as part of an investigation into alleged excess votes in the Proposition 50 special election. This significant action, carried out by law enforcement, aims to address concerns raised about the integrity of the election process. State officials are closely monitoring the situation as it unfolds.