Re: Attorney General of the State of California v. S.C. (Bianco)

Public Rights Project filed an amicus letter on behalf of California local election officials, supporting Attorney General Rob Bonta’s request to the California Supreme Court to halt an unlawful voter fraud investigation in Riverside County. 

In March 2026, Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco seized more than 650,000 ballots after a group of citizens said they found irregularities in last year’s special election results. Bonta asked the court to stop the investigation and review whether the sheriff violated the California Constitution and other regulations in conducting his criminal probe. Our amicus brief supports those requests, making three key arguments:

• The evidence doesn’t support a criminal investigation: No crime has been alleged. The investigation was launched based on a tip about ballot count irregularities that the county registrar has refuted.

• California law provides a process for challenging election results that the sheriff’s investigation circumvents: A clear civil pathway exists for challenging ballot counts, with built-in safeguards for accuracy and transparency — including the option to request a recount.

• Any sort of ballot recount requires specialized expertise: Local election officials have established systems for storing, handling, and reviewing ballots. Without that knowledge, the sheriff’s department may draw inaccurate conclusions about the ballot counts and ultimately sow distrust in election administration.

Read the amicus brief here.

Update:

On April 8, 2026, the California Supreme Court granted the attorney general’s request, blocking the investigation from moving forward pending a final ruling.