California Bill Aims to Block Sheriff Chad Bianco’s Ballot Seizure Stunt

California is moving to clamp down on election interference after Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco’s unprecedented seizure of more than 650,000 ballots from the November Proposition 50 special election. State Senator Sabrina Cervantes, a Democrat from Riverside, introduced legislation designed to prevent a repeat of this political stunt that threatens public trust in the democratic process.

Bianco, a Republican gubernatorial candidate, launched an investigation that involved taking ballots from local election officials under court-approved search warrants. Though he claims he is not trying to overturn the election results, his probe was sparked by unsubstantiated claims from a so-called election watchdog group alleging a 45,000-vote discrepancy. Proposition 50, which redrew congressional districts to favor Democrats, passed both statewide and in Riverside County.

Critics — including California Attorney General Rob Bonta — slammed Bianco’s actions as a baseless attack on election integrity. The state Supreme Court temporarily halted the investigation, citing the need for further judicial review.

Senator Cervantes’ bill, SB 73, would make it illegal to remove ballots from election officials’ custody after certification, with violators facing civil lawsuits. The bill highlights how Bianco’s seizure broke the chain of custody, rendering those ballots “spoiled forever” despite their return to county officials.

SB 73 also aims to shield elections from other forms of intimidation and interference. It would bar law enforcement from observing vote-by-mail signature verification while on active duty and prohibit military deployment at polling places — a direct response to fears that Trump might send soldiers to intimidate voters in the upcoming midterms. Additionally, the bill forbids seizure of voting machines or voter rolls without a warrant.

This legislation fits into a broader package of Cervantes’ election reforms, including measures to improve ballot access for voters with limited English skills and strengthen legal protections against voting rights violations.

The bill’s introduction comes amid ongoing political tensions in Riverside. Clarissa Cervantes, Sabrina’s sister and Riverside City Councilmember, is running for state Assembly and was a plaintiff in a lawsuit demanding the return of the seized ballots. She also previously sued Sheriff Bianco over inflammatory social media posts, though she later dropped the libel claim.

SB 73 sends a clear message: California lawmakers will not tolerate election interference disguised as investigations. Protecting the chain of custody and shielding voters and election workers from intimidation are critical steps to safeguard democracy from political stunts and authoritarian overreach.