California AG and UCLA Move To Block Republican Sheriff’s Seizure and Recount of 2025 Ballots

California’s attorney general and the UCLA Voting Rights Project have taken separate legal steps to stop Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco—a Republican who is running for governor—from seizing and recounting ballots from a 2025 special election.

The dispute began last month when Bianco’s office removed election materials from the county elections office. This week the conflict escalated: Attorney General Rob Bonta asked a court to intervene and expedite review, while Bianco ­— who says he obtained warrants signed by a judge — removed additional boxes of ballots. A Riverside County judge held a hearing to consider Bonta’s request to move the case quickly.

According to the attorney general’s filing, Bianco seized roughly 650,000 ballots earlier and took another 426 boxes this week. Bianco’s office says the probe is a lawful, court-authorized investigation and has described it as a fact-finding mission prompted by a complaint from a local citizens group about a November 2025 special election on redistricting.

County elections officials have disputed the allegation of a large discrepancy, telling the Board of Supervisors the original complaint lacked merit. They say the difference between machine totals and the final count submitted to the state was about 100 votes, and attribute any handwritten-log inconsistencies to human error by temporary workers who had worked long shifts.

Bianco has said his deputies will physically recount the ballots and compare the results to the official totals submitted to the state. The counting is being conducted by sheriff’s personnel under the supervision of a court-appointed special master; the sheriff has not provided a timeline for completion.

Bianco’s office: The investigation is lawful and approved by a judge.

In court papers, the attorney general argued the seizure risks undermining public confidence in upcoming elections and could set a dangerous precedent if law enforcement is used to contest election results. The UCLA Voting Rights Project separately asked the California Supreme Court to order the immediate return of the ballots, saying the sheriff lacked legal authority to remove election materials.

Prominent Democrats associated with the voting-rights group, including former state attorney general Xavier Becerra, issued statements warning against the politicization of law enforcement. Observers also noted parallels with other recent high-profile disputes over ballots and election materials in other states.

The legal fight is likely to continue in state court as both sides press their remedies. The case raises questions about the boundaries between law enforcement authority and election administration, especially when an elected official pursuing higher office is leading the probe.