The California Supreme Court rules that Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco must return about 650,000 ballots he seized earlier this year. The court says his actions are unlawful and that California election law bars ballots from being taken from the custody of election officials.

The outlets describe Bianco’s justification as an inquiry he said was aimed at voter fraud, following his claim of investigating voting improprieties. The court’s ruling focuses on the lack of legal authority to confiscate ballots rather than evaluating the underlying fraud allegations.

Several reports note Bianco’s political background as a former Republican candidate for governor. The Guardian and other outlets also place the dispute in the context of a statewide special election involving congressional redistricting and mention the measure’s support and results, including outcomes in Bianco’s county. Across coverage, the core issue is that the court orders the return of the ballots and limits further handling by Bianco.