California media outlets are demanding the release of sealed warrants that authorized Sheriff Chad Bianco to seize more than 600,000 ballots from Riverside County. The move comes amid a contentious dispute over election integrity and a high-profile investigation into the November 2025 special election.

Legal Challenge to Warrant Secrecy

A coalition of news organizations, including CalMatters, The New York Times, and the Los Angeles Times, filed a motion in Riverside County court seeking to unseal the warrants and accompanying sworn statements. They have also filed a separate petition with the California Supreme Court.

The warrants were initially sealed by Riverside County Judge Jay Kiel at the request of Sheriff Bianco’s office. The warrants authorized the seizure of over 1,400 boxes of Proposition 50 election materials from the Riverside County Registrar of Voters.

Dispute Over Election Integrity

The legal battle centers around a disagreement between Sheriff Bianco, a Republican candidate for governor, and Attorney General Rob Bonta, a Democrat seeking re-election. The news organizations argue public access to the warrants is crucial given the conflicting claims.

“The public should not be forced to navigate these competing allegations without the facts on which the investigation is based,” stated Jean-Paul Jassy, attorney for the news outlets, in the motion. “Nor does the law require them to.”

Investigation and Legal Challenges

Sheriff Bianco obtained the warrants in February and March, initiating an investigation into alleged discrepancies between the number of ballots cast and the number tallied. Art Tinoco, Riverside County’s top elections official, has refuted these claims, attributing them to flawed data from an activist group.

The investigation and potential recount are currently on hold following legal challenges filed by Attorney General Bonta and the UCLA Voting Rights Project. Bonta has accused Bianco of using the investigation as a political tactic and has demanded the release of the warrants.

Sheriff's Response and Legal Precedent

Sheriff Bianco has defended the warrant secrecy, stating the records will be released once the investigation concludes. He argued that sealing warrants during active investigations is standard procedure. “When over, like every other case that’s sealed, when it’s unsealed, you’ll get to see it,” Bianco said.

However, attorneys for the media outlets point out that Bianco publicly discussed the investigation during a press conference on March 20. They argue that even if confidential information exists, it doesn't justify sealing all records. State law generally requires warrants to be executed within 10 days, after which they become public record.

Jassy emphasized the strong public interest in accessing these records, stating, “It is hard to imagine a stronger public interest than access to a proceeding purporting to resolve allegations relating to election integrity — allegations at the heart of our democracy.” The case has already reached the California Supreme Court through Bonta’s emergency petition to halt the ballot seizure.