The California Supreme Court ruled on September 24, 2026 in v. that the seizure of ballots by Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco was unlawful; the governor’s office announced the decision.
The governor’s press release says Bianco “illegally seized hundreds of thousands of ballots” after the 2025 special election in an attempt to claim voter fraud; the release adds that no evidence of that fraud was ever provided.
The release quotes Governor : “that the seizure of the ballots was unlawful.” The governor’s statement continues: “Today’s ruling affirms that in California we will defend democracy; using every branch of government. And the new laws I signed just last week add new protections so attacks like this cannot happen again. People deserve to know their ballot is counted and secure, and in California we will do everything we can to protect that constitutional right; this year, and beyond.”
The press release says the ruling comes as the governor signed a 13‑bill election protection package last week; the release frames those laws as adding new protections against similar attacks on vote security. The release also cites a separate U.S. Supreme Court ruling it says weighed against efforts by the Trump administration to “weaponize the U.S. Postal Service” with respect to vote‑by‑mail.
What the governor’s office did not provide in the release: a copy of the court’s opinion, a detailed accounting of the ballots seized, or any description of criminal or civil penalties for Sheriff Bianco. Independent reporting of the court record and any enforcement steps will be necessary to confirm the scope of the seizure and the remedies the court ordered.
What this means in practice: the governor and his allies will point to the state Supreme Court decision and the new 13‑bill package as immediate policy responses; the press release frames those moves as protections for voters. The legal record and any subsequent enforcement or appeals will determine how the ruling affects Bianco and how broadly the new laws change county election operations.
State
Sabrina Cervantes
State Senator · Democrat
Named 2 times in this story.
Portrait: Official portrait
Local
Chad Bianco
Sheriff of Riverside County · Republican
Named 6 times in this story.
Portrait: Riverside County Sheriff's Office / Wikimedia Commons (Public domain)
State
Gavin Newsom
Governor · Democrat
Named once in this story.
Portrait: Official portrait
Sources & methodology
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