Cervantes et al. v. Bianco Press Conference Following California Supreme Court Oral Arguments

On August 24, 2026, the California Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Cervantes et al. v. Bianco, a case brought by the UCLA Voting Rights Project on behalf of four Riverside County voters challenging Sheriff Chad Bianco’s seizure and handling of more than 650,000 ballots cast in the November 2025 special election. Following the hearing, UCLA VRP attorneys, petitioners, and Senior Advisor Xavier Becerra spoke with reporters outside the Earl Warren Building in San Francisco about the case, the legal questions before the Court, and the importance of protecting the custody and security of voted ballots under California law. Speakers included Chad Dunn, Sonni Waknin, Xavier Becerra, Clarissa Cervantes, Oscar Ortiz, and Matt Barreto.