California Supreme Court Orders Sheriff to Return Confiscated Ballots

<p>The California Supreme Court ruled that Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco must return over 650,000 ballots he seized during an investigation into alleged voting improprieties related to a special election in November 2025. The court deemed Bianco's actions unlawful and instructed him to refrain from any further handling of ballots.</p><p>The ballots were taken as part of an inquiry into claims of voter fraud, which the court found to be unfounded. The special election, which involved congressional redistricting, was supported by Governor Gavin Newsom and passed with significant voter approval, including a margin of approximately 80,000 votes in Bianco's county.</p>