California sheriff running for governor seizes over 650,000 ballots from 2025 election

Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, a Republican candidate for California governor, has seized more than 650,000 ballots from the 2025 election as part of an investigation into alleged unlawful voting related to Proposition 50. Bianco claims ballots were cast illegally in connection with the measure, which redrew congressional districts in Democrats' favor—a move the state characterized as a response to similar gerrymandering in Republican-led states. State election officials have denied Bianco's allegations that ballots were unlawfully cast. The seizure escalates a conflict between the sheriff's office and state authorities over election integrity and represents an unusual intervention by a law enforcement official into post-election ballot handling. The case reflects broader partisan tensions over redistricting practices and raises questions about the appropriate role of local sheriffs in overseeing statewide election disputes.