California Sheriff Seizes 650,000 Ballots, Defies Democrat State AG’s Demands to Shut Down Election Probe

March 25, 2026

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Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco has seized more than 650,000 ballots from California’s November 2025 special election and announced his office will conduct an independent count.

The move is setting up a direct confrontation with Democrat state officials demanding he stand down.

The investigation focuses on Proposition 50, a ballot measure tied to congressional district reform, after local investigators flagged what they describe as tens of thousands of excess votes.

Sheriff Chad Bianco Moves Forward Despite State Pushback

At a Friday press conference, Sheriff Chad Bianco framed the issue in straightforward terms:

“This investigation is simple: Physically count the ballots and compare that result with the total votes recorded.”

Bianco’s office acted after the Riverside Election Integrity Team reported approximately 45,000 excess votes in the county’s results.

Rather than support the effort, California Attorney General Rob Bonta and California Secretary of State Shirley Weber, both Democrats, moved to halt the probe.

Weber dismissed the investigation, stating the sheriff’s office “has taken actions based on allegations that lack credible evidence and risk undermining public confidence in our elections.”

She also added:

“The sheriff’s assertion that his deputies know how to count is admirable.

“The fact remains that he and his deputies are not election officials, and they do not have expertise in election administration.”

Attorney General Rob Bonta Escalates Pressure

AG Bonta’s office said it attempted to “work cooperatively” with the sheriff while requesting access to the full investigative file.

“We have attempted to work cooperatively with the Sheriff’s Office in order to better understand the basis for their investigation,” the office said.

The statement continued:

“During this time, the Sheriff has delayed, stonewalled, and otherwise refused to work with us in good faith.”

The office also claimed there were “serious questions about the merits of this investigation,” citing what it described as deficiencies in warrant affidavits.

Disputed Vote Totals at Center of Clash

Riverside County elections official Art Tinoco rejected the claim of excess votes, arguing that early ballot intake figures are estimates, not final counts.

Tinoco said the final tally differed from initial estimates by just 0.16%, or 103 votes.

That explanation has not satisfied Bianco, who is pressing forward with a full physical count of ballots to verify the results.

Political Stakes Rise

The dispute has quickly taken on political overtones.

Sheriff Chad Bianco, a Republican candidate for governor, has publicly clashed with Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA), who is also running for governor.

But beyond the political friction, the core issue remains whether the physical ballot count matches the reported totals.

Sheriff Chad Bianco Fires Back

Bianco sharply criticized Attorney General Rob Bonta during his press conference:

“The outrage that an investigation was happening was extremely concerning to me, especially coming from someone who claims to be a law enforcement officer… he’s an embarrassment to law enforcement.”

What Happens Next

With more than half a million ballots now in custody, the investigation is moving forward despite state opposition.

If the counts match, the state’s position is validated.

If they don’t, the implications could extend far beyond Riverside County.

For now, California officials are attempting to shut down the investigation.

Sheriff Bianco is refusing to comply.