Trump-allied sheriff seizes ballots and sparks political crisis in California

Mass ballot seizure in Riverside

Political electoral dispute

Investigation fuels controversy

A dispute between the Riverside County sheriff and Democrats could influence public trust in elections and spread nationwide.

In California, a legal battle is unfolding between Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco and Democratic leaders.

The conflict arises after the seizure of more than 650,000 ballots, according to USA Today.

Democrats argue that the action is a political maneuver.

Riverside ballot seizure sparks conflict

California Sheriff Chad Bianco defied the Attorney General to seize over 500,000 total ballots after an audit revealed a 45,000-vote discrepancy, raising urgent constitutional questions about election integrity and machine accuracy. pic.twitter.com/eIp1FtmHsw

— Robert Gouveia Esq. (@RobGouveiaEsq) March 31, 2026

They claim it undermines public confidence in the voting system.

Bianco, a Republican candidate for governor, rejects the accusations.

He maintains that his actions are part of a legitimate investigation.

He says he is fulfilling his duty as a local authority.

Election investigation in Riverside

Riverside County sheriff running for governor suspends election probe after seizing ballots https://t.co/Y5lONCUQo0

— ABC7 Eyewitness News (@ABC7) March 31, 2026

The controversy began after the November 2025 special elections in California. In those elections, Proposition 50 was approved.

The measure supports the redrawing of congressional districts to benefit Democrats. The statewide result was 64% in favor and 36% against.

In Riverside County, the result was 57% to 43%. The state certified the results without objections.

There were no challenges until January. According to Chad Bianco, a conservative group contacted him at that time.

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It is the Riverside Election Integrity Team (REIT). The group conducted its own election audit.

Bianco claims they detected inconsistencies in the records.

He said that initially 611,000 mail-in ballots were reported, but the total vote count reached 657,000.

“That represents a difference of 46,000 votes,” Bianco said. “There is no explanation why it is different,” he added.

Based on this, he launched an investigation.

Reactions and conservative support

Why CA Sheriff Chad Bianco seized ballots while running for governor https://t.co/wwHt9bJPU4

— USA TODAY Politics (@usatodayDC) April 3, 2026

Bianco stated that the investigation has generated interest in other jurisdictions. “A lot of people from other states… are reaching out to us,” he said.

He added that they are also receiving similar reports. According to him, former election officials are reporting massive election fraud in California. “But nobody is investigating it,” he claimed.

Hans von Spakovsky supported the investigation. He is a former Department of Justice official.

He is currently an expert at the organization Advancing American Freedom.

The group promotes conservative policies. Von Spakovsky stated that “there are standard avenues of recourse.”

Democrats, however, question the process. They argue that the allegations lack foundation.

They say the action could politicize the electoral system.

National implications and similar cases

Voting rights experts warn of possible national implications. They say the case could set precedents.

They note that conservative activists are promoting similar allegations. In many cases, these claims have been labeled unfounded.

The goal would be to trigger police investigations. California is not the only place with disputes.

In Georgia, the FBI seized 656 boxes of election materials. This occurred on January 28. The materials correspond to the 2020 presidential election.

The incident is linked to efforts by Trump to challenge his defeat. In Arizona, federal authorities have also intervened.

They subpoenaed the state Senate for election documents. The records are related to Maricopa County.

The REIT group is linked to United Sovereign Americans. It is a right-wing group.

Its members have filed lawsuits alleging election fraud. Meanwhile, the investigation in Riverside continues.

The case continues to generate political tension. It also keeps the focus on election integrity.