California Supreme Court

California's state Supreme Court has ruled that a county sheriff violated election law when he seized ballots, according to a report circulating in news coverage. The decision confirms that the seizure was unlawful, but further details about which sheriff was involved, when the ballots were taken, and what consequences may follow were not included in the coverage being shared.

The California Supreme Court has ordered the Riverside County sheriff's office to return roughly 650,000 ballots that were seized during an investigation into the November 2022 election. The ruling means the ballots must be handed back rather than retained by the sheriff. Details about the underlying dispute and how the ballots will be handled remain limited.

The US Supreme Court has issued a ruling concerning a Department of Homeland Security voter database, and officials say it will have no impact on California's 2026 general election. The decision clarifies how federal data access rules apply to states, but California's voting procedures for 2026 remain unchanged, according to local reporting in Lassen County.