Sheriff Chad Bianco Pauses Ballot Probe Amid Legal Fight

By Editorial Team

Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco has decided to pause his investigation into potential voter fraud in last November’s Prop 50 election amid a legal battle with California Attorney General Rob Bonta and voting rights groups.

Bianco made the decision to halt the probe after Bonta and the UCLA Voting Rights Project filed a petition in court to stop the investigation, citing concerns about the handling of the ballots and the integrity of the election process.

The legal dispute began when Bianco seized hundreds of thousands of ballots to investigate allegations of miscounted votes in the November 2025 special election. According to Bianco, there was a discrepancy of 45,896 votes between the number of ballots cast and the votes reported and certified to the Secretary of State.

Despite the pause in the investigation, the legal battle is ongoing, with Bonta’s office filing petitions to halt the investigation in Riverside County and with the California Supreme Court. Both cases are currently being heard.

The UCLA Voting Rights Project, in partnership with former attorney general and gubernatorial candidate Xavier Becerra, expressed satisfaction with Bianco’s decision to pause the investigation, emphasizing the importance of handling the ballots in accordance with election regulations.

While Bianco attributed the hold on the investigation to “politically motivated lawsuits and court filings,” Bonta’s office declined to comment on the matter but reiterated their efforts to stop the ballot seizure.

Despite the temporary pause, concerns remain about the handling of the ballots, with Bonta’s office stating that Bianco had seized an additional 426 boxes of ballot materials using a third search warrant. Bianco has confirmed that this effort is also on hold for now.

As the legal proceedings continue, the focus remains on ensuring the integrity of the election process and the proper handling of the ballots involved in the investigation.