Riverside County Sheriff Seizes Over 500,000 Ballots in CA Governor's Race

Investigation raises concerns about election denialism if sheriff wins governorship

Mar. 23, 2026 at 2:49am

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Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco has seized more than 500,000 ballots from the November 2026 election as part of an investigation into alleged voter fraud, despite local election officials refuting the claims. The unusual probe has drawn criticism from California Attorney General Rob Bonta.

Why it matters

Bianco's actions as a top GOP candidate for California governor raise questions about how he would handle the election denialism movement if elected. The seizure of ballots could further fuel distrust in the electoral process.

The details

Sheriff Bianco claims his investigators are looking into allegations that Riverside County's election tally was falsely inflated, though local officials have denied these allegations. The sheriff's office has taken possession of all ballots cast in the county during the November 2026 election as part of this investigation.

  • The ballots were seized in March 2026.

The players

Chad Bianco

The Riverside County Sheriff and a top GOP candidate for California governor.

Rob Bonta

The California Attorney General who has criticized Bianco's ballot seizure.

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What they’re saying

“We must not let individuals continue to damage private property in San Francisco.”

— Robert Jenkins, San Francisco resident

What’s next

The California Attorney General's office is expected to take legal action against Sheriff Bianco's ballot seizure.

The takeaway

Bianco's actions as a gubernatorial candidate raise serious concerns about his commitment to democratic norms and the integrity of elections if he were to be elected governor.