Appellate Court Rejects Bonta’s Bid to Halt Riverside Sheriff Election Probe, Letting Ballot Seizures Continue
A California appellate court denied Attorney General Rob Bonta’s bid Tuesday to halt Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco’s investigation and ballot seizures related to the November 2025 Proposition 50 special election, citing a procedural venue issue.
- The court’s denial was based on filing venue, not the merits of the underlying petition, per reporting by Los Angeles Times and CalMatters.
- Sheriff Bianco has seized roughly 600,000–650,000 ballots and describes the action as a judge-authorized, neutral fact-finding count rather than a vote recount (Los Angeles Times).
- State officials including AG Bonta and Secretary of State Shirley Weber say the seizures defy state law and lack credible evidence; legal fights and outside filings continue (CalMatters).
- Local impact may include legal costs and heightened political debate in areas like Hesperia; residents are urged to contact county or state election offices with concerns (CalMatters).
Key information
The appellate court denied the Attorney General’s emergency appeal on procedural venue grounds, not on the substance of Bonta’s petition. Sources reporting on that determination include the Los Angeles Times and CalMatters.
State response and Attorney General
AG Rob Bonta’s office said the appellate ruling “does not change the facts.” The office accuses Sheriff Bianco of defying state law and the California Constitution, argues Bianco lacked probable cause to seize the ballots, and said it is evaluating next steps, including further court action (Los Angeles Times, CalMatters).
What Sheriff Bianco says
Sheriff Chad Bianco, who is also a candidate for governor, says his office has seized more than 600,000 ballots — some reporting puts the total at roughly 650,000 — and that the operation is a judge-authorized, neutral fact-finding mission to physically count ballots and compare results with totals reported to the state. Bianco emphasized that this is not a recount of yes/no votes but a count of ballots to confirm reported totals (Los Angeles Times, CalMatters, LAist).
“Shame on you, the media, for believing an attorney general with a history of lying, then repeating his lies… We are counting ballots, not yes and no votes. This is not a recount, it is a count of ballots plain and simple.”
County officials and election data
County election officials say the actual variance between machine and final counts was about 100–103 votes, far smaller than the roughly 45,800 discrepancy alleged in the complaint cited by Bianco. Officials maintain the larger figure is unfounded (CalMatters, American Community Media).
Legal steps and outside filings
Legal filings have multiplied. The Attorney General sought emergency relief to stop the sheriff’s work; the appellate court denied that request on procedural venue grounds. The UCLA Voting Rights Project has asked the California Supreme Court to order the return of seized ballots, and county election officials say they will comply with lawful court orders (Los Angeles Times, Riverside Record).
Political stakes and context
Bianco is running for governor and polls show him trailing several leading candidates; a UC Berkeley–Politico poll placed him around 11% of voter support. Bianco insists the investigation is unrelated to his campaign and says he has a duty to investigate alleged crimes in Riverside County. Critics say the sheriff’s actions mirror national patterns where law enforcement or partisan actors challenge election results, often without finding widespread fraud, and warn such actions can erode public trust (Los Angeles Times, Democracy Docket, CyberScoop).
Implications for Hesperia, California
Economic impact: Ongoing legal action could raise costs for taxpayers and prompt neighboring counties, including San Bernardino, to review procedures to avoid similar controversies (CalMatters).
Political consequences: Hesperia voters and conservative community leaders are likely to follow the case closely; the dispute could intensify local debate over election integrity and influence candidate messaging (Democracy Docket, CyberScoop).
Social effects: The dispute risks sowing confusion and mistrust among voters and could heighten scrutiny or harassment of local election workers; residents concerned about ballot handling are encouraged to contact their county registrar or the Secretary of State’s office for guidance (CalMatters).
Background on Proposition 50 and the dispute
Proposition 50 was a special election measure that temporarily redrew California’s congressional maps; supporters said it would counter partisan gerrymanders. The measure passed in Riverside County with more than 56% of the vote and by an overall margin of about 82,570 votes, according to reporting that cites The Associated Press (Los Angeles Times).
After the election, the Riverside Election Integrity Team filed a complaint alleging a discrepancy of roughly 45,800 votes between ballots received and totals reported; county elections staff say that figure is unsupported and that the real variance was about 100–103 votes (CalMatters, American Community Media).
State officials and election experts respond
Secretary of State Shirley Weber said the allegations lack credible evidence and warned that sheriffs are not election administrators, urging that election investigations be conducted by those with legal authority and expertise. Election experts noted the complaint relied on weak sources such as public internet searches rather than official records and cautioned that partisan theater can damage voter confidence (CalMatters, CyberScoop).
Practical guidance and next steps
Residents who have concerns about ballot handling should contact their county registrar or the Secretary of State’s office. Those tracking the litigation can follow filings in Riverside County and any actions taken by the California Supreme Court. County election officials say they will comply with lawful court orders and with rules for handling election materials (CalMatters, Los Angeles Times).
