California Court Denies Attorney General's Attempt to Stop Sheriff's Ballot Recount
A three-judge panel has rejected a filing by California Attorney General Rob Bonta, who sought a court order to halt the Riverside County Sheriff's Department from continuing its recount of ballots from the November 2025 special election. The decision, reported by the LA Times, marks a significant development in a politically charged dispute over election procedures in the state.
Background of the Legal Battle
Bonta filed a 70-page petition with the Fourth Appellate District on Monday, arguing that Sheriff Chad Bianco's investigation into the election results threatens to undermine public confidence in upcoming elections. In his filing, Bonta wrote, "the sheriff's misguided investigation threatens to sow distrust and jeopardize public confidence" in the electoral process. However, on Tuesday, the court denied the petition, stating that Bonta should first apply to a lower court for relief.
The controversy stems from Sheriff Bianco, a Republican gubernatorial candidate, seizing more than 650,000 ballots cast in Riverside County during last November's election. That election resulted in the passage of Proposition 50, which redrew congressional districts to favor Democrats, in response to similar gerrymandering efforts in Republican-led states like Texas. California Republicans, supported by the Trump administration, challenged the measure, but the U.S. Supreme Court denied an emergency petition to block the new maps.
Conflicting Claims Over Vote Counts
Bianco has defended his recount efforts, citing claims that the election results were off by 45,800 votes. In contrast, Bonta and Art Tinoco, the registrar of voters for the Riverside County Board of Supervisors, have assured that the tallies differed by only about 100 votes. At a press conference on Friday, Bianco announced that a Riverside Superior Court judge appointed a special master to oversee the ballot count, stating, "This investigation is simple: physically count the ballots and compare that result with the total votes recorded."
Bonta has strongly opposed the sheriff's actions, emphasizing in a statement reported by the Los Angeles Times, "There is no indication, anywhere in the United States, of widespread voter fraud. Counts, recounts, hand counts, audits, and court cases all support this." Over the past two months, Bonta has repeatedly sent letters to Bianco's office, arguing that sheriff's staff are not qualified to conduct a recount and warning that the ballot seizure is "unacceptable" and "sets a dangerous precedent and will only sow distrust in our elections."
Broader Implications and Reactions
The case has drawn attention from civil rights groups, with Chandra Bhatnagar, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California, expressing support for Bonta and criticizing Bianco's claims as "misleading." Bhatnagar stated, "Let's be clear: no sheriff has a legitimate role – much less experience – in administering our elections or in handling hundreds of thousands of voters' ballots. The sheriff's investigation represents a serious threat to voter privacy, undermines our democratic process and raises questions about the misuse of law enforcement authority for political gain."
This legal showdown highlights ongoing tensions in California over election integrity and political maneuvering, particularly in the context of redistricting and gubernatorial campaigns. The court's denial of Bonta's petition may set the stage for further legal battles as the recount proceeds, potentially impacting voter trust and electoral outcomes in the state.
