Steve Hilton is a political commentator and former adviser to British Prime Minister David Cameron who moved to the United States and became a Republican candidate for governor of California in 2026.
Case
Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco seized about 650,000 ballots in early 2026 under search warrants, citing a disputed vote discrepancy. The California Supreme Court held the seizure unlawful; Bianco says his investigation was lawful and disagrees with the ruling.
Role at the time: Republican candidate for governor of California
Statement summary
Asked whether Sheriff Bianco took the right step in seizing the ballots, Steve Hilton said he was "not going to weigh in" because he did not have knowledge of the facts, and added that he trusted Bianco was interested in ensuring the integrity of elections.
“I'm not going to weigh in on something that I don't have the knowledge of the facts on. I trust that Chad is interested in what we should all be interested in, which is ensuring the integrity of our elections and restoring faith in our elections in California.”
The reference point is the sheriff's seizure and handling of the ballots. Hilton was asked directly whether the seizure was the right step and expressly declined to weigh in; his expression of trust in Bianco's interest in election integrity does not say the seizure was lawful or justified.
Statement dates: May 5, 2026
Statement dates: May 5, 2026
Statement dates: May 5, 2026
Statement dates: May 5, 2026
