The California Supreme Court has ordered Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco to return nearly 650,000 ballots he confiscated earlier this year, declaring his actions unlawful under state election law. The ruling states that ballots cannot be removed from elections officials’ custody, regardless of suspected misconduct. The decision underscores legal limits on interference with election processes, reinforcing protections for voters’ ballots. Legal experts are now analyzing how this may impact future cases involving ballot security disputes.
The California Supreme Court ruled Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, former California gubernatorial candidate, must return approximately 650,000 ballots he seized earlier this year. The court ruled that Bianco’s seizure was “unlawful” as California law dictates that "'[i]n no event' shall voted ballots be 'taken from the custody of the elections official.'" “If election misconduct...
