California Supreme Court Demands Return of 650,000 Ballots

WHO:

CBS News - Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco

IJR - California Attorney General Rob Bonta

WHAT:

ABC News - The California Supreme Court ruled that the ballots were seized following a November 2025 special election that favored Democrats.

CBS News - The California Supreme Court ruled that Sheriff Chad Bianco unlawfully seized more than 650,000 ballots.

IJR - The California Supreme Court unanimously ordered Sheriff Bianco to return the seized ballots to election officials and to stop handling them.

WHERE:

CBS News - Riverside County, California

WHY:

IJR - The court found that Sheriff Bianco broke state law by seizing the ballots and upheld Attorney General Rob Bonta’s authority to direct the investigation, rejecting Bianco’s challenge.

HOW:

CBS News - The ruling determined that the actions taken by Sheriff Bianco were in violation of California's election law.

(UPDATED September 25, 2026 07:59 UTC)

The California Supreme Court has ruled that ballots were seized following a special election in November 2025 that favored Democrats. This decision has significant implications for the election's outcome and the integrity of the voting process. The ruling was reported by ABC News at 07:59 UTC.

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(UPDATED September 24, 2026 22:05 UTC)

The California Supreme Court has ruled that Sheriff Chad Bianco unlawfully seized more than 650,000 ballots in Riverside County, California. In a unanimous decision, the court ordered Sheriff Bianco to return the seized ballots to election officials and to cease any further handling of them, affirming Attorney General Rob Bonta's authority in the investigation. The ruling highlighted that Bianco's actions were in violation of California's election law, rejecting his challenge against the state's legal framework.