California Bill Aims to Block Sheriff Chad Bianco’s Ballot Grab and Election Interference

California is pushing back against election interference after Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco’s highly contentious seizure of more than 650,000 ballots from the November Proposition 50 special election. State Senator Sabrina Cervantes, a Democrat from Riverside, unveiled SB 73 on April 28 to block any repeat of this unprecedented move that threatens the integrity and public trust in California’s elections.

Bianco’s investigation, which involved search warrants and the confiscation of ballots, was sparked by claims of a 45,000-vote discrepancy alleged by a citizen watchdog group. Critics have slammed the probe as a political stunt rooted in debunked voter fraud conspiracies. Even California Attorney General Rob Bonta stepped in to halt the investigation, with the state Supreme Court ordering a pause.

Senator Cervantes condemned the sheriff’s actions as an attack on democracy, saying, “We have a responsibility to protect the voices of California voters, and we will not stand by as outside forces seek to undermine our electoral process.” Her bill would make it illegal to remove ballots from the custody of election officials after results are certified, preserving the chain of custody crucial for election evidence. The seized Proposition 50 ballots are now considered spoiled because that chain was broken.

SB 73 goes further by barring military deployment to voting locations and prohibiting armed law enforcement from overseeing vote-by-mail signature verification to prevent voter intimidation. It also requires warrants before law enforcement can seize voting machines or voter rolls.

Bianco, a Republican gubernatorial candidate, dismissed the bill as an attempt to shield election corruption from scrutiny. He claimed it does nothing to prevent illegal voting but rather stops investigations into fraud.

This legislation arrives amid broader efforts by Cervantes to enhance voting rights protections, including bills to assist voters with limited English proficiency and to strengthen legal recourse against voting rights violations.

The battle over ballot custody and election oversight in Riverside County highlights the ongoing struggle against authoritarian tactics aimed at sowing doubt in democratic processes. SB 73 represents a clear stand to safeguard California’s elections from political interference and to uphold voter confidence ahead of crucial midterm contests.