California sheriff ballot seizure case
The gist
California's Supreme Court ruled unanimously that Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco illegally seized over 650,000 ballots.
The ruling orders their return six weeks before midterms deciding Congress control.
How it unfolded
- Oct 2025Bianco echoed President Trump's 2020 election fraud allegations on a podcast, saying "We absolutely know there was fraud" and that "mail-in ballots are purposely designed for fraud."
- Feb 2026While running for governor in the primary, Bianco seized the ballots.
- Mar 2026Bianco said he would pause his investigation "because of the politically motivated lawsuits and court filings."