Gavin Newsom signs bill, spurred by Chad Bianco, to block ballot seizures by law enforcement

California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) signed a new law Wednesday that bans anyone — including federal or local law enforcement — from unlawfully seizing ballots, voter rolls, or other election materials.

The new law, signed six days before the state’s primary election, is a direct response to Riverside County Sheriff and GOP gubernatorial candidate Chad Bianco, who seized more than 650,000 ballots cast in California’s recent redistricting referendum. Bianco was acting on bogus election fraud claims pushed by anti-voting activists when he ordered his office in February to seize the ballots for an investigation.

The law makes it a felony for anyone — including law enforcement — to seize ballots from any California county elections office. Such a violation is now punishable by up to three years in prison and a $1,000 fine.

“California will not allow our elections to be commandeered by political intimidation, abuse of power, or chaotic interference from extremists chasing conspiracy theories,” Newsom said in a statement. “This law protects voters, election workers, and the integrity of the democratic process from election-deniers who want to undermine democracy.”



https://www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/gavin-newsom-signs-bill-spurred-by-chad-bianco-to-block-ballot-seizures-by-law-enforcement/