Court Battles Escalate in Riverside County Election Investigation as Ballot Review Paused

A growing legal battle between Rob Bonta and Chad Bianco is now forcing a pause in the investigation into alleged ballot discrepancies from the 2025 special election.

Sheriff Bianco confirmed the investigation has been temporarily halted following a series of legal filings, which he has described as politically motivated. The Riverside County Sheriff’s Office says its investigation is based on evidence obtained from the Registrar of Voters and was intended to verify claims of possible election irregularities.

Meanwhile, the legal fight is unfolding on multiple fronts.

In Riverside Superior Court, a highly anticipated ex parte hearing has now been delayed for a second time and is scheduled to resume on April 2nd.

At the state level, Bonta has filed a petition for review along with an emergency request for a stay with the California Supreme Court. The court has set an expedited briefing schedule, giving the sheriff until April 1st to respond and the Attorney General until April 4th to reply.

Bonta’s office argues the sheriff’s actions are unprecedented and is seeking to halt the investigation and return the seized ballots to election officials.

Adding to the legal pressure, Indio City Councilmember Oscar Ortiz is among those involved in a separate filing to the California Supreme Court, also seeking the return of ballots to the Registrar of Voters.

With decisions pending in both county and state courts, the outcome could determine whether the investigation is permanently stopped or allowed to move forward.

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