Riverside County puts election systems put to the test ahead of November general election

Just days after hundreds of thousands of seized ballots were returned to the Riverside County Registrar of Voters, election officials opened their doors Thursday to give the public a firsthand look at how the county tests its voting system ahead of the November general election.

The Riverside County Registrar of Voters conducted its public Logic and Accuracy testing at its Riverside headquarters, demonstrating how election equipment is checked to ensure votes are recorded and counted correctly.

The demonstration came amid continued attention surrounding ballots seized by the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department as part of Sheriff Chad Bianco’s investigation into the 2025 special election.

When NBC Palm Springs asked county officials about the status of the returned ballots and the investigation, officials declined to answer those questions. Instead, they focused on the public testing underway and the transparency surrounding the county’s ballot verification process.

During the Logic and Accuracy test, election workers processed sample ballots representing every candidate and contest appearing in the upcoming general election. The results were then tallied and checked to make sure the voting system accurately recorded the selections made on those test ballots.

This year, Riverside County has more than 425 different ballot types and more than 365 candidates appearing on the two-card ballot.

The testing is open to the public, allowing residents and election observers to watch the process before the same system is used to count ballots in November.

Registrar of Voters Art Tinoco emphasized the importance of allowing the public to see how the county’s election systems operate and how officials verify their accuracy before Election Day.

The public demonstration comes just days after ballots seized during the sheriff’s investigation into the 2025 special election were returned to the Registrar of Voters following California Supreme Court rulings involving the investigation.

Greg Langworthy, who attended Thursday’s testing, said he hopes the ballots are preserved as questions surrounding the investigation continue.

Langworthy also said he plans to take the Supreme Court ruling to the Riverside County Board of Supervisors and present alternative options for recounting ballots from the 2025 special election that would fall within legal guidelines.

For other voters attending Thursday’s demonstration, the testing offered an opportunity to see what happens beyond the moment a voter fills out and submits a ballot.

According to the Registrar of Voters, Riverside County will begin opening 152 vote centers Monday, Oct. 5. The county will also have a total of 107 ballot sites for the upcoming election.