Election Administration and Integrity

Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, a declared Republican candidate for governor, seized more than half a million ballots and nearly 1,000 boxes of materials from a November 2025 special redistricting election under a February warrant, calling the action a “fact‑finding mission.” State election officials and California Attorney General Rob Bonta say Bianco’s fraud claims lack credible evidence, note the certified vote gap was about 100 votes versus Bianco’s claimed 45,800 discrepancy, warn his staff are not qualified to conduct a recount, and critics across the political spectrum view the seizure as politically motivated.