California Supreme Court Orders Sheriff to Return Seized Ballots
The California Supreme Court has ordered Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco to return approximately 650,000 seized ballots from a special election, ruling the seizure unlawful and a violation of state election law. The court stated that voted ballots must remain…
Detroit, MI, September 24, 2026 — The California Supreme Court has directed Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco to return an estimated 650,000 ballots that were seized from a special election. The court ruled that the seizure was unlawful and constituted a violation of the state’s election laws.
In its ruling, the Supreme Court emphasized that voted ballots are required by law to remain under the custody of election officials. The specific details surrounding the seizure, including the date of the seizure, the particular special election involved, and the reasons cited by Sheriff Bianco for taking possession of the ballots, were not provided in the summary.
The court’s order mandates the return of the approximately 650,000 ballots. The legal basis for the court’s decision rests on the principle that election officials, not law enforcement agencies outside of specific legal procedures, are responsible for the security and handling of voted ballots. This ensures the integrity and continuity of the election process.
The outcome of this legal challenge highlights the strict protocols governing ballot handling in California. The failure to adhere to these protocols, as determined by the state’s highest court, has resulted in this directive for the return of the seized materials. Further details regarding the specific legal challenges or arguments presented in the case were not available.
Story summarized from the original created by Olga R. Rodriguez, Associated Press on www.clickondetroit.com, see more information here.
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