Riverside, CA – Inland Empire United condemns the seizure of approximately 650,000 ballots from the November 2025 election by Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco. This action by a candidate for California Governor falls outside of normal democratic processes and risks undermining public trust in verified election systems.
The allegation that prompted this investigation cited a discrepancy of approximately 45,000 ballots. However, the actual variance is significantly smaller, about 0.016 percent, or 103 votes, according to the Riverside County Registrar of Voters.
California elections are administered by independent election officials, not law enforcement. County registrars and the Secretary of State oversee a process built on multiple safeguards, including audits, a chain of custody, and certifications. These systems are in place to ensure accuracy and transparency at every stage of the election process.
Election administration requires specialized training and legal authority that does not sit within a sheriff’s department. Ballot handling and custody are governed by clearly defined processes designed to protect both voter access and election integrity.
Sheriff Chad Bianco’s actions do not reflect an effort to strengthen election integrity. Instead, they represent a deliberate attempt to undermine confidence in California’s election systems for political gain. Actions like this risk discouraging and intimidating election workers who are carrying out their lawful duties, and set a dangerous precedent for the role of law enforcement in our election processes.
Inland Empire United stands with the Riverside County Registrar of Voters and reaffirms confidence in the county’s election process. We condemn this overreach by the County Sheriff Department.
