California sheriff seizes more ballot materials in defiance of state officials

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: The Guardian

Fri 27 Mar 2026 15.33 EDT
Last modified on Fri 27 Mar 2026 15.35 EDT


A Republican sheriff in California has confiscated additional ballot materials from a special election, escalating his conflict with state lawmakers who say he is conducting a baseless investigation into claims of voter fraud.

On Tuesday, Chad Bianco, the Riverside county sheriff who is running for governor, was already at the center of a legal controversy after seizing 650,000 ballots from last year’s special election. Earlier this week he ordered his office to seize 426 additional boxes of ballot materials as part of the alleged criminal investigation, prompting criticism from lawmakers including Rob Bonta, California’s Democratic attorney general.

Bianco’s ballot seizures have triggered several lawsuits against him, including one filed with the California supreme court by voters represented by the UCLA Voting Rights Project. The lawsuit seeks to block his recount of last year’s vote on Proposition 50, a measure to redraw California’s congressional districts in ways that favored Democrats.

Prop 50 was introduced by Gavin Newsom in response to Donald Trump’s efforts to gerrymander additional Republican seats in red states, and was passed overwhelmingly by voters last November.

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/mar/27/chad-bianco-california-ballots-voter-fraud

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REFERENCE - https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143636857

[BonnieJW]

1. Why isn't the California AG arresting him?

[bluestarone]

2. Jesus Christ, is the California police and sheriff dept anti state Government?

I mean we have FEDS against us, so are local government against us too?

[jgmiller]

3. Did he get a warrant?

If he didn't then he broke the law and I think it would be straightforward enough for Newsom to have the CHP (CA state police are the CHP) go and get them back. If he did get a warrant then where the appeal? His jurisdiction is Riverside so he could only get a warrant in their superior court.

Now that I think about it, maybe Newsom doesn't want to give him a bigger stage and allow him to pump up his numbers.

[Mz Pip]

4. If Bianco wins the Governorship

A recall will begin the next day. The guy is a loon.