Sensitive Voter Data May Have Been Exposed Online in Bianco Election Probe

New developments are surfacing in the ongoing investigation into Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco's November special election, and this time the concern is about voter privacy.

Attorneys for the UCLA Voting Rights Project allege that records seized as part of that election probe were accidentally exposed online for up to five days. The data, which may have included voters' personal information, was allegedly accessible through a file-sharing link connected to an attorney representing Sheriff Bianco. The Riverside County Sheriff's Department is now investigating how much of that information was viewed, and by whom.

The timing has voting rights advocates on edge. With primary voting set to begin soon, advocates say the incident highlights the risks of pulling ballots from official custody, arguing that sensitive election materials should remain under tightly controlled conditions.

The breach is adding fresh tension to a legal battle that is already before the California Supreme Court. Riverside County continues to deny that any ballot count discrepancies occurred in the November election.