CA, US & World
California Supreme Court set to rule on Chad Bianco ballot seizure
The California Supreme Court is scheduled to issue rulings Thursday in two cases stemming from Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco’s seizure of about 650,000 ballots following the November 2025 Proposition 50 special election.
The cases involve a dispute between Bianco and California Attorney General Rob Bonta over the sheriff’s investigation, as well as a separate request seeking the return of the ballots to the Riverside County Registrar of Voters.
Bianco seized roughly 1,000 boxes of ballots after obtaining search warrants as part of an investigation into alleged discrepancies involving the election. The California Supreme Court heard arguments in both cases on Aug. 24.
One case, brought by Bonta, asks the court to determine the scope of the attorney general’s authority to supervise and direct a county sheriff. It also asks whether Bonta can require Bianco to stop the investigation.
The second case asks whether the seized ballots should be returned to the county registrar, with the court considering whether the seizure complied with California election law.
The court’s official notice says opinions in both cases are scheduled to be filed Thursday, Sept. 24, at 10 a.m.
The rulings could resolve key legal questions surrounding the sheriff’s authority to investigate the election and the handling of the seized ballots.
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By: NBC Palm Springs
September 23, 2026
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