Sheriff Bianco Reviews Ballots, Raises Election Concerns

0:00Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco has taken control of over half a million ballots from a special election last November. He's looking into a reported mismatch between intake logs and the final vote totals. The election approve redrawing congressional districts in a way that helps Democrats passing by more than 80,000 votes in the county. Bianco, a Republican running for governor in California's June primary, says this is just his duty to check for any issues. The state uses a top two system with a top two vote getters advance, no matter their party. Democrats worry their crowded field could split votes and let Republicans like Bianco move on. County election officials push back hard on his claims. Attorney General Rob Bonza calls the ballot grab unusual and says it undermines trust in voting. He sent letters warning that Bianco's team lacks the expertise for a proper review. Back in February, Bianco got a warrant and removed nearly 1,000 boxes of ballots in materials. A citizen group first flagged the numbers not matching up.

1:02The physical count began be paused and now it's restarting under a judge appointed overseer. This move echoes national debates over election security, but Bianco insists it's unrelated to his campaign. Officials continue watching closely as the review picks up steam. I'm Corey with the story. That's your Derm News Today update. AI powered and always on.