Media Coalition Seeks to Unseal Warrants in Riverside Election Probe

The Riverside Record joins 12 outlets in motion to make public documents related to Sheriff Bianco's investigation into alleged voter fraud.

Apr. 2, 2026 at 2:38am

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The Riverside Record has joined a coalition of a dozen news outlets in filing a motion to unseal three search warrants obtained by the Riverside County Sheriff's Office in connection with Sheriff Chad Bianco's investigation into alleged election fraud in last November's special statewide election. The coalition argued that the public has a right to access the records, which are central to the ongoing legal battle between Bianco and California Attorney General Rob Bonta.

Why it matters

The investigation into alleged voter fraud has become a high-profile political issue, with Bianco, a Republican, running for governor and Bonta, a Democrat, running for re-election as attorney general. The media coalition believes the public should have access to the facts and evidence behind the investigation.

The details

The motion filed with the Riverside County Superior Court seeks to unseal the documents and records related to the February 9, February 23 and March 19 search warrants, including the supporting probable cause statements or affidavits and inventory lists. The coalition argued that state law requires search warrants to be open to the public 10 days after issuance, and that Bianco himself has publicly discussed the investigation, negating any confidentiality concerns.

  • On February 9, the Riverside County Sheriff's Office obtained a search warrant.
  • On February 23, the Riverside County Sheriff's Office obtained another search warrant.
  • On March 19, the Riverside County Sheriff's Office obtained a third search warrant.

The players

Chad Bianco

The Riverside County Sheriff who initiated an investigation into alleged election fraud and is running for governor as a Republican.

Rob Bonta

The California Attorney General who is running for re-election as a Democrat and is involved in the legal battle with Sheriff Bianco over the election investigation.

Riverside County Sheriff's Office

The law enforcement agency that obtained the search warrants as part of the investigation into alleged election fraud.

Riverside Election Integrity Team (REIT)

A group of local residents who presented findings to the Riverside County Board of Supervisors alleging a discrepancy of about 46,000 between the number of ballots cast and the number of ballots counted in the November 2022 special election.

Art Tinoco

The Riverside County Registrar of Voters who explained at a Board of Supervisors workshop that the REIT's methodology had produced an erroneous result, and the actual discrepancy was 103.

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What they’re saying

“The public should not be forced to navigate these competing allegations without the facts on which the investigation is based. Nor does the law require them to.”

— Jean-Paul Jassy, Attorney for the news outlets

“It is hard to imagine a stronger public interest: access to a proceeding purporting to resolve allegations relating to election integrity-allegations at the heart of our democracy.”

— Jean-Paul Jassy, Attorney for the news outlets

What’s next

The coalition will also be filing a separate petition with the California Supreme Court that also seeks to have the records unsealed.

The takeaway

This case highlights the importance of transparency and public access to information related to investigations into election integrity, which are critical to maintaining trust in the democratic process.