A conservative California county is moving to eliminate mail-in voting, setting up a potential legal confrontation with the state. Shasta County, known for its radical conservative politics and active election-skeptic movement, recently approved Measure B, which mandates that elections be held in person on a single day and restricts absentee ballots, effectively ending vote-by-mail. The measure also requires photo identification and a hand count of ballots.
Impact on Voters
The proposed changes would make it more difficult for residents to vote, as approximately 85% of county voters currently cast their ballots by mail. According to the American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California and the League of Women Voters, Measure B appears to violate California law. The ACLU stated, "Measure B also plainly violates state law and exposes county taxpayers to significant litigation costs – all in pursuit of a solution to a problem that doesn’t exist." They emphasized the need to preserve voting options rather than erect barriers.
State Response
The California attorney general’s office is monitoring the situation closely and is prepared to take appropriate action to protect voters’ rights and enforce state election laws. Shasta County, home to about 182,000 people, has been embroiled in election disputes since the 2020 presidential election. A small but vocal group of activists, convinced of widespread voter fraud, targeted the local elections office, alleging rigged contests and insecure voting. Some election officials repeated these accusations despite winning their own elections.
Election Office Turmoil
In 2022, the former registrar of voters told a US Senate committee that activists had weaponized election observation activities, leading to interference and bullying. Numerous staff members left the office. For the past year, the office has been overseen by Clint Curtis, an election skeptic who alleged that his predecessors had rigged elections. Curtis supported Measure B.
Shasta’s governing body severed ties with Dominion Voting Systems in 2023, a move supported by prominent election deniers like MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell. The board attempted to implement a hand-count system, which experts warned would be costly and inaccurate, but the state thwarted that plan by passing a law banning manual tallies in most cases. However, Measure B revives part of that effort.
Broader Context
Measure B comes amid a new wave of conspiracy theories about voting in California following last week’s election. Results for key races, including governor and Los Angeles mayor, were delayed due to California’s thorough ballot processing. Donald Trump accused the state of election rigging without evidence, and Spencer Pratt, a mayoral candidate, suggested his opponent rounded up unhoused people to vote for her. Meanwhile, the US Justice Department sent a federal prosecutor to observe ballot processing in Los Angeles, and the FBI announced multiple election fraud investigations.
In Shasta County, Measure B is on track to pass with over 55% of the vote, even though 88% of those who approved it voted by mail. The measure conflicts with multiple state laws, including those preventing local governments from requiring voter ID. Its passage is a victory for activists who have campaigned for over five years to transform Shasta’s elections, but it comes amid other losses. Registrar of voters Clint Curtis was ousted in favor of Joanna Francescut, who had 17 years of experience before Curtis fired her. His tenure was marked by allegations of a hostile work environment and violent threats, which he denied.
The California secretary of state and Shasta County registrar of voters did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
