Riverside sheriff faces legal fallout for seizing ballots in 2026 election

Chad Bianco, the Riverside County sheriff, seized hundreds of thousands of Proposition 50 ballots in February 2026, questioning the election's integrity months after the vote, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Bianco's actions appeared to be an attempt to gain favor with then-President Trump, who was focused on claims of voter fraud, according to the Times. However, Trump ultimately endorsed Bianco's Republican rival, Steve Hilton, who lost the general election to Democrat Xavier Becerra.

The ballot seizure led to lawsuits filed by California's attorney general and UCLA's Voting Rights Project, which escalated to the state Supreme Court. The court strongly criticized Bianco for his conduct, as noted in the Times coverage.

Riverside County officials determined Bianco should cover his legal expenses resulting from the litigation, reflecting local disapproval of his actions.

Bianco had been a leading Republican candidate for California governor, polling in the mid-teens in the primary, but his strategy to gain Trump's backing did not succeed, and he did not advance past the primary stage.