Tag Archive for: Sonni Waknin

Voter’s Choice Act: Understanding Language Access in Voter’s Choice Act Counties for the 2022 General Election

The California Secretary of State’s Office commissioned these research reports from the UCLA Voting Rights Project (VRP) to assess the effectiveness of the Voter’s Choice Act (VCA). These reports include data analysis on how voters that speak a primary language other than English cast their ballots during the 2022 General Election utilizing VoteCal data and a survey of county accessibility in elections (e.g. translation materials on websites). This follows previous reports on language access for voters in VCA counties during the 2020 and 2022 Primary Elections and 2020 General Election. This analysis includes an aggregated total for all VCA counties combined, as well as an aggregate of combined VCA counties that excludes Los Angeles County. We present an aggregated total that excludes Los Angeles County to prevent the skewing of the findings due to the size of the County.

Included below is the Voter’s Choice Act: Understanding Language Access in Voter’s Choice Act Counties for the 2022 General Election and Voter’s Choice Act: 2022 General Election Report on Race and Ethnicity.

Contributors: Matthew Barreto, Lorrie Frasure, Sonni Waknin, Michael Rios, Vivian Alejandre, Michael Herndon, Ananya Hariharan, Diego Casillas & Sebastian Cazares

Understanding Language Access in Voter’s Choice Act Counties for the 2022 General ElectionDownload
Utilizing Bayesian Improved Surname Geocoding (BISG) on the 2022 General Election Voter FileDownload
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Voter’s Choice Act: Understanding Language Access in Voter’s Choice Act Counties for the 2022 Primary Election 

The California Secretary of State’s Office commissioned this research report from the UCLA Voting Rights Project (VRP) to assess the effectiveness of the Voter’s Choice Act (VCA). These reports include data analysis on how voters that speak a primary language other than English cast their ballots during the 2022 Primary Election utilizing VoteCal data and a survey of county accessibility in elections (e.g. translation materials on websites). This analysis includes an aggregated total for all VCA counties combined, as well as an aggregate of combined VCA counties that excludes Los Angeles County. We present an aggregated total that excludes Los Angeles County to prevent the skewing of the findings due to the size of the County.

Included below is the Voter’s Choice Act: Understanding Language Access in Voter’s Choice Act Counties for the 2022 Primary Election and UCLA Voter’s Choice Act (VCA) Report on Race and Ethnicity in the 2022 Primary Election.

Contributors: Matthew Barreto, Lorrie Frasure, Sonni Waknin, Michael Rios, Vivian Alejandre, Michael Herndon, Ananya Hariharan & Diego Casillas

Understanding Language Access in Voter’s Choice Act Counties for the 2022 Primary ElectionDownload
Utilizing Bayesian Improved Surname Geocoding (BISG) on the 2022 Primary Election Voter FileDownload
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Voter’s Choice Act Report for the 2020 Primary and General Elections

This report, commissioned by the California Secretary of State’s office and conducted by the UCLA Voting Rights Project, provides a comprehensive overview of language access and voter participation for language minorities in the fifteen counties that implemented the Voter’s Choice Act (VCA) during the 2020 Primary and General Elections. Appendix B1 focuses on the 2020 Primary Election, while Appendix B2 focuses on the 2020 General Election. Appendix C describes the usage of the methodology, Bayesian Improved Surname Geocoding (BISG), in conducting its research. Major findings of this report are that turnout rates significantly increased across California counties as a result of more accessible voting by mail and that both non-VCA and VCA counties (excluding Los Angeles) had comparable vote-by-mail usage rates.

Contributors: Matthew Barreto, Michael Rios, Vivian Alejandre & Sonni Waknin

Language Access During the March 2020 Primary Election and General ElectionDownload
Language Access During the November 2020 General ElectionDownload
Utilizing Bayesian Improved Surname Geocoding (BISG) to Improve Our Understanding of California Voter Demographics in Voter’s Choice Act CountiesDownload
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CA Supreme Court Advances UCLA Voting Rights Project Case Over Riverside Election Materials Seizure

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Alberto Lammers; alammers@luskin.ucla.edu

California Supreme Court Advances UCLA Voting Rights Project Case Over Riverside Election Materials Seizure

In a case brought by four Riverside County voters represented by UCLA VRP, the justices directed respondents to explain why the relief sought by petitioners should not be granted, moved the matter forward on an expedited basis, and left in place the April 8 stay issued in the Attorney General’s related case.

LOS ANGELES (May 14, 2026) — The California Supreme Court has ordered Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco and Registrar of Voters Art Tinoco to show cause why the relief sought by petitioners in Cervantes v. Bianco should not be granted. The Court has directed respondents to file returns within 30 days, said the matter will proceed on an expedited basis, and indicated it does not anticipate granting extensions absent specific and compelling good cause. The Court also denied petitioners’ separate application for a stay in light of its April 8 stay order in Attorney General v. Bianco, which remains in effect. 

In its petition, the UCLA Voting Rights Project (VRP) challenged Sheriff Bianco’s seizure of ballots and election materials from the Riverside County Registrar of Voters and asked the Court to halt any further seizure or handling of those materials, restore lawful custody, and require that any further review proceed only under California election law and through authorized election officials. In recent weeks, VRP’s clients also notified the Court of additional developments, including the seizure of 426 additional boxes of election materials and new concerns involving the handling and security of materials while the case has been pending. 

“The Court order makes clear that our client’s case is moving forward and will receive full consideration on an expedited basis,” said Sonni Waknin, Senior Voting Rights Counsel at VRP. “The issues raised in the petition are of serious concern and warrant full consideration by the Court.”

The order moves the petition into a fuller merits phase and maintains the protections already imposed by the Court in the related Attorney General matter.

Read the order here.

ABOUT the UCLA Voting Rights Project

The UCLA Voting Rights Project was established to protect equal voting rights for all Americans through strategic litigation, social science research and policy advocacy. The VRP seeks to ensure that all individuals are afforded equal access to the electoral process and representation in governance. For more information about the UCLA Voting Rights Project, please visit vrp.ucla.edu.

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UCLA Voting Rights Project Filing Alerts CA Supreme Court to Alleged Security Breach in Riverside Ballot Seizure Case

Letter also urges Court to decide on whether a sheriff may lawfully take possession of ballots outside official election process.

LOS ANGELES (April 28, 2026) — The UCLA Voting Rights Project (VRP) today filed a letter alerting the California Supreme Court to developments that came to light after briefing closed on March 30, 2026. According to the filing, Sheriff Bianco’s counsel allegedly created a public link that allowed access to at least some of the seized election materials, raising new election security concerns while the case remains pending. The letter also argues that, even after the Court’s interim action in the Attorney General’s matter, the Justices should still resolve the election-law questions presented in this case before the 2026 primary election moves forward. 

“We are asking the Court to do more than pause this particular investigation. We are asking it to make clear that ballots and election materials cannot be taken out of the hands of election officials and handled outside the safeguards established by California law,” said Sonni Waknin, senior voting rights counsel at VPR. “What has happened in Riverside shows why that question cannot be left unanswered. With primary voting beginning in a few days, the Court should act quickly to reaffirm that ballot custody, security, and review must remain under lawful election procedures and not be left to ad hoc actions by law enforcement.”

Read the filing here.

ABOUT the UCLA Voting Rights Project

The UCLA Voting Rights Project was established to protect equal voting rights for all Americans through strategic litigation, social science research and policy advocacy. The VRP seeks to ensure that all individuals are afforded equal access to the electoral process and representation in governance. For more information about the UCLA Voting Rights Project, please visit vrp.ucla.edu.

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UCLA Voting Rights Project Issues Letter to Riverside County Regarding Concerns Over Sheriff Bianco’s Outside Legal Fees

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Alberto Lammers; alammers@luskin.ucla.edu

UCLA Voting Rights Project Issues Letter to Riverside County Regarding Concerns Over Sheriff Bianco’s Outside Legal Fees

Letter outlines why Riverside Co. taxpayers should not be on the hook for Sheriff’s private attorney’s fees.

LOS ANGELES (April 13, 2026) — The UCLA Voting Rights Project (VRP) today sent a letter to Riverside County supervisors outlining concerns over any possible effort by the County to pay outside legal fees incurred by Sheriff Chad Bianco after he hired a private law firm to defend himself in litigation arising from his seizure of approximately 650,000 ballots and election materials.

Riverside County has noticed a closed-session discussion for Tuesday, April 14, involving four lawsuits against Sheriff Bianco. One of those matters is the case brought by VRP clients, who challenged Bianco’s seizure of ballots and election materials from the Riverside County Registrar of Voters. Today’s letter states that Bianco chose to defend himself through outside counsel rather than be defended by the Riverside County Counsel, and that he did so without first obtaining the approval required under California law.

Under Government Code section 995.1, a county employee seeking outside legal defense must request that defense from the County before those costs are incurred. According to VRP’s letter, Sheriff Bianco did not do that. Instead, retaining private counsel to defend him in the four separate lawsuits over his election-related conduct.

“Sheriff Bianco chose to hire his own private lawyers without any indication that he followed the process required by California Law.” said Sonni Waknin, Senior Voting Rights Counsel at the VRP. “It is concerning that Riverside County taxpayers may be asked to cover possibly hundreds of thousands or millions of dollars in legal fees resulting from that decision.”

The letter also points to a similar dispute in Los Angeles County, where then-Sheriff Alex Villanueva contracted with outside legal counsel without approval from the County Board. In that matter, a California appellate court found that the County had retained the power to contract for legal services, not then-Sheriff Villanueva. The letter argues that the same principle applies here: Sheriff Bianco cannot bypass County Counsel, hire his own private firm, and then require Riverside County to reimburse him after the fact.

In its letter, VRP asks the Board of Supervisors to reject any request to reimburse Bianco for private legal fees tied to the pending litigation over his seizure and handling of election materials.

Read the letter here.

ABOUT the UCLA Voting Rights Project

The UCLA Voting Rights Project was established to protect equal voting rights for all Americans through strategic litigation, social science research and policy advocacy. The VRP seeks to ensure that all individuals are afforded equal access to the electoral process and representation in governance. For more information about the UCLA Voting Rights Project, please visit vrp.ucla.edu.

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UCLA Voting Rights Project Asks California Supreme Court for Immediate Stay in Riverside Election Materials Case

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Alberto Lammers; alammers@luskin.ucla.edu

UCLA Voting Rights Project Asks California Supreme Court for Immediate Stay in Riverside Election Materials Case

LOS ANGELES (March 30, 2026) — The UCLA Voting Rights Project (VRP) today filed a reply with the California Supreme Court asking the Court to immediately stay any further seizure and handling of ballots and election materials while this case proceeds. In the filing, VRP argues that this matter cannot wait because Riverside voters’ rights are being harmed now, the sheriff has continued removing election materials, and no other plain, speedy, or adequate remedy exists to protect the integrity of the electoral process. 

“We are asking the Court to act immediately to stop any further seizure or handling of ballots and election materials while this case is considered,” said Sonni Waknin, Senior Voting Rights Attorney at the VPR. “Contrary to Sheriff Bianco’s statement, Riverside voters absolutely have standing to bring this challenge. The harm is ongoing, and waiting for some other process to unfold would only deepen the damage to public confidence in the system.” 

“Our election law is clear that voted ballots are to remain in the custody of election officials, and nothing the sheriff has presented changes that basic rule,” Waknin added. “The Court should issue a stay now, return lawful custody where it belongs, and prevent any further interference with the handling of election materials.”

ABOUT the UCLA Voting Rights Project

The UCLA Voting Rights Project was established to protect equal voting rights for all Americans through strategic litigation, social science research and policy advocacy. The VRP seeks to ensure that all individuals are afforded equal access to the electoral process and representation in governance. For more information about the UCLA Voting Rights Project, please visit vrp.ucla.edu.

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