The California Supreme Court has ruled that Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco must return over 650,000 ballots that were seized during a November 2025 special election. The court issued a unanimous decision, ordering Bianco to return the ballots to county election officials and to "refrain from further handling of the ballots except as necessary to comply with our order." This ruling comes after a legal battle over whether the sheriff had the authority to take control of election materials. In February, Bianco seized the ballots from the special election, which was held to determine new congressional districts. The measure passed by approximately 80,000 votes. Bianco claimed he took the ballots as part of a criminal investigation following a complaint from a local citizens group, which alleged the vote count was inaccurate. However, local election officials had previously dismissed the complaint as baseless. Bianco, a Republican, was running for governor at the time but failed to win his party’s primary. Democratic Attorney General Rob Bonta quickly challenged the seizure, arguing that the sheriff had no legal authority over election materials and that the move was intended to undermine public confidence in the election process. Bonta ordered Bianco to return the ballots, but the sheriff did not comply. Additionally, the University of California, Los Angeles Voting Rights Project filed a lawsuit on behalf of several voters, challenging the seizure as well. The state Supreme Court recently heard arguments from both cases. The case has drawn attention due to broader concerns about election integrity, especially following President Donald Trump’s claims of fraud in the 2020 election. His administration had previously seized ballots and documents from a Georgia election office. Some Republican officials have echoed Trump’s rhetoric about election security in their own states. Election officials and civil rights groups have been closely monitoring the situation, fearing similar actions could occur in future elections. California Governor Gavin Newsom recently signed a bill aimed at preventing the seizure of ballots, similar to what Bianco did. After seizing the ballots, Bianco began a recount using sheriff’s officials under the supervision of a court-appointed special master, but he later suspended the process due to legal challenges. Despite these challenges, the ballots have not been returned. Bianco’s legal team argued that the sheriff had a duty to investigate the complaint and that the ballots are considered evidence. At the time of the seizure, Bianco was one of two prominent Republicans running for governor, though he did not advance to the general election. He has since announced plans to seek reelection as sheriff in 2028. Meanwhile, Xavier Becerra, a former state attorney general and Democratic candidate for governor, is involved in the UCLA-led lawsuit seeking to stop Bianco’s actions.