California Secretary of State Slams GOP Governor Candidate's Election Probe

Shirley Weber criticizes Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco's investigation into alleged irregularities in the November 2025 election.

Mar. 22, 2026 at 7:21pm

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California Secretary of State Shirley Weber has rebuked Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco's probe into alleged irregularities in the November 2025 election, amid Bianco's quest to be the Republican gubernatorial candidate. Weber said the sheriff's office has taken actions based on allegations that lack credible evidence and risk undermining public confidence in elections, and that any election-related probe should be conducted by those with the appropriate legal authority and subject matter expertise.

Why it matters

This clash between the Secretary of State and a GOP gubernatorial candidate highlights the ongoing debate over election integrity and the role of law enforcement in investigating alleged irregularities. It also underscores the political tensions surrounding the 2026 California governor's race.

The details

Bianco has tasked deputies with looking into possible discrepancies in last November's special election for the redistricting Proposition 50, based on allegations by a citizen group called the Riverside Election Integrity Team. The group claimed there had been 45,800 ballots counted beyond the number publicly documented in election records. Bianco issued a statement saying 'there is no acceptable error, small or large, in our elections, let alone a 45,000 vote difference.' However, Weber suggested the sheriff was out of his depth, saying any election-related probe should be 'conducted by those with the appropriate legal authority and subject matter expertise.'

  • The November 2025 special election for the redistricting Proposition 50 is the subject of the alleged irregularities.
  • In February 2026, the Riverside Election Integrity Team made claims about discrepancies in the election during a workshop.

The players

Shirley Weber

California Secretary of State, a lawmaker from San Diego.

Chad Bianco

Riverside County Sheriff and a top GOP contender for the California governor's office.

Rob Bonta

California Attorney General.

Riverside Election Integrity Team

A citizen group that has made allegations about irregularities in the November 2025 election in Riverside County.

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What they’re saying

“The Riverside County Sheriff's Office has taken actions based on allegations that lack credible evidence and risk undermining public confidence in our elections.”

— Shirley Weber, California Secretary of State

“There is no acceptable error, small or large, in our elections, let alone a 45,000 vote difference.”

— Chad Bianco, Riverside County Sheriff

What’s next

The investigation by the Riverside County Sheriff's Office is ongoing, despite the criticism from the Secretary of State. The allegations and the probe's findings are likely to continue to be a point of contention in the 2026 California governor's race.

The takeaway

This dispute highlights the ongoing tensions around election integrity and the role of law enforcement in investigating alleged irregularities. It underscores the political nature of these issues and the need for election-related probes to be conducted by those with the appropriate expertise and authority.