Community raises alarm regarding Sheriff Chad Bianco’s seizure of election ballots

Local organizers planned to hold a press conference on Friday, March 27 outside the Riverside County Registrar of Voters Office to address concerns about Sheriff Chad Bianco’s seizure and recount of ballots cast for last year’s special election.

The Riverside Sheriff Accountability Coalition, IE United, Starting Over Inc., Starting Over Strong, Inland Coalition for Immigrant Justice, the League of Women Voters Riverside and others are the organizations raising the alarm following the reported transfer and handling of approximately 650,000 ballots involving the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department.

Bianco is also a candidate in the 2026 California Governor’s race. Advocates say voters have sought answers and accountability, only to be met with a lack of transparency.

Community leaders, elected officials, and coalition members will speak out against what they describe as an inappropriate and politically motivated intrusion of law enforcement into election administration. They warn that such actions threaten public trust, voter participation and the integrity of local democracy.

In addition, two candidates for Riverside County Supervisor District 5, Lisa Matus and Eric Stalter, have filed a legal challenge raising concerns about whether the candidate filing process administered by the Riverside County Registrar of Voters provided a fair and meaningful opportunity to qualify for the ballot.

The case, filed in the Superior Court of California, County of Riverside, centers on whether the timing and communication of filing deficiencies prevented both candidates from completing the required steps before the statutory deadline.